


Young Justice - Swift Ascension (Original 2013 Mary Sue Edition)

by FuzzyBeta



Series: The Swift Chronicles [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DC - Fandom, Justice League - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Mary Sue, Multi, Original Character-centric, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 01:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 199,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15808974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuzzyBeta/pseuds/FuzzyBeta
Summary: The old version of Swift Ascension from 2013. Has since been remastered and rebooted, but is still up for those who want to read. Any of the Sequels in this series will be based from the new remastered 2018 Version so this is a standalone fic.Batman always knew that his sidekicks, Robin (Dick Grayson) and Swift (Christine Hallows [OC]) were destined for greatness. But after a certain trip to CADMUS things take strange turns. Will Swift be able to rise to the challenge?





	1. Prologue

**Wayne Manor, July 5, 10:00 am, EDT, 2016**

Two nineteen year olds lay amongst tangled royal purple bed sheets, entwined in each other's arms.

The young black haired man slept soundly, his deep steady breaths slightly muffled as he nuzzled into the back of the young woman's head. Her brown hair was soft and dark and even in his unconscious state of mind he pressed himself closer to her.

The girl chuckled softly to herself. She had been awake for almost an hour already but she hadn't had the heart to move. For one thing, she was far too comfortable and warm, but also she wanted to enjoy her bed mate's company.

Her warm brown eyes wandered over the room. It was much the same as it had been since she'd first arrived at the Wayne manor all those years ago. Back then she'd just been a ten year old girl, thin and scrawny, who loved the colour purple and carried a plush toy bat. She spotted the said toy sitting on a beanbag next to an oak bookcase. It had a black bra flung onto it.

_Now how did that get there?_

But no sooner had she thought about it then all the memories from the last night came flooding back.

"Oh right" she muttered to no one in particular.

Blushing she turned her attentions to the bedside table closest to her on which several photographs stood framed. She reached for the closest one which had five teenagers, four boys and one girl, standing in a group in front of a large building behind them.

The tallest and oldest of the group was a Caucasian auburn haired boy with a black domino mask covering his eyes. He dressed in a red tunic with matching tights with yellow gloves, boots, belt and quiver and Robin Hood style hat. He was frowning, his arms folded, being very uncooperative with the cameraman.

The second tallest was a lean boy with dark brown skin, high cheekbones, light blond hair, pale green eyes, eel tattoos over his arms and gills on the sides of his neck. He was wearing a skin tight, full bodied red and blue swimsuit with a black belt with an "A" symbol for a buckle. Like the red head next to him he was standing in the back and folding his arms, however he was wearing a polite smile that hid behind most of his excitement.

The boys and girl in front of them weren't even bothering to hold their excitement. The one on the right was a fifteen year old in a yellow and red suit with red goggles that sat on a mess of spiked red hair. His face was grinning with crumbs of food flying out of his mouth as he gripped a granola bar. His free hand was draped over the shoulders of the thirteen year old girl that stood next to him on his right.

She was shortish for her age and was wearing a black bodysuit under a purple leotard. Her dark brown hair was tied up in a high bun and her eyes were hidden behind a domino mask as well. She was giggling madly and leaning towards the boy on her right. Though mostly covered by a black and yellow cape he was sporting a cheeky grin as he leant as though whispering something into her ear.

The young woman looking down on the photo could barely suppress a snort of amusement as she looked down at this particular boy. His jet black hair was short but stylishly messed up and though he too had a domino mask, she could just imagine his eyes, bright clear blue orbs, twinkle with delight and happiness.

She looked over her shoulder at the young man who was holding her as they lay, and her smile widened with warm affection.

His jet black hair was still messed up and he still wore the same smile as he slept. Seeing him so peaceful like this made it seem like almost nothing had happened.

And a  _lot_  had happened since  _that_  day and yet it seemed like only yesterday...

* * *

**Gotham City, July 4, 6:30 am EDT 2010**

Bang! A door crashed open.

"Good Morning Christine!" a young boy's voice boomed excitedly

She opened her warm brown eyes slowly, gazing up at the wooden ceiling of her four poster bed. The covers, which were varying shades of purple with black pillowcases with the batman symbol printed boldly across them in yellow, crinkled more as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

She glared in the direction of the door where a blurry mass of pale skin, black hair and what seemed to be green and grey material stood in what seemed to be the doorway.

She huffed as she crashed back down on the bed and closed her eyes tight.

It had been four years since Christine Evelyn Hallows came to live with her godfather Bruce Wayne and his ward Richard "Dick" Grayson. Come Halloween, her birthday, and it would be four years since she became Batman and Robin's second partner, the Swift. And yet after all this time, Dick still wouldn't learn to not wake her up early in the bloody morning!

But it seemed as if her stubbornness would not deter her adoptive brother from his early morning mission. With an echoing cackle he lightly jumped onto the bed, ripped the covers off her and flung them to the floor.

"Dick" she groaned, her eyes were still shut as she blindly reached for something to cover her up. Eventually her hands found her rectangular black rimmed glasses on her bedside table. She sat up again as she jammed them onto her face as she looked at the thirteen year old boy sitting cross-legged on the other side of her bed.

"Good morning" he beamed showing off his perfect straight white teeth. His black hair, she noticed, was messier than usual and many a cowlick were sticking at odd angles over his head.

"Dick…It's six in the morning"

"Actually it's six thirty! But so what?!" Dick's eyes seemed to sparkle like diamonds with his excitement as he bounced up and down in his spot. It was rather cute, like watching a little puppy play with a new toy, but Christine didn't care.

"So…why are you in my room at six  _thirty_  in the morning?"

" 'cause you needed to wake up!"

"Why?"

"Because today's the day!" Dick exclaimed loudly throwing his hands up into the air.

Christine looked blankly at him. She could almost see the fireworks, streamers and confetti materialise and explode around him. They were both thirteen but sometimes Christine wondered if Dick's brain had been de-aged by a villain to be stuck at age five.

She shook her head and sighed.

"Oh come on Chrissy! As if you're not excited too. Who was the one who wanted to bake a cake to celebrate last night" Dick complained loudly as he grabbed one of her arms and dragged her out of bed.

Christine didn't even bother resisting as he led her down through the large manor house. Four years of living with an excitable early bird like Dick you learn to just go with the flow. And if she really was that tired she could just put her head on the counter and sleep till the food was ready.

They entered the kitchen where the old butler, Alfred, was busy cooking at the stove already dressed in his suit and Bruce was sitting at the little island counter in the middle reading the newspaper in his flannel pyjamas. The two men smiled as their two youngest charges walked in hand in hand.

"Good Morning Al! Bruce!" Dick waved. Christine winced at the loud volumes.

"Good Morning young Master Dick, Miss Christine!"

" … Morning Alfred" Christine yawned behind her free hand before seating herself at Bruce's side.

"You're up early" Bruce chuckled.

"Didn't have a choice did I" Christine narrowed her eyes at Dick who smirked back triumphantly from his spot across from her as he poured milk all over his cereal.

Bruce removed the puzzle section of his newspaper and placed it in front of his surrogate daughter scowling as he caught sight of her T-shirt.

It was a light blue with a red Superman symbol on it.

Christine rolled her eyes as she tied up her hair, straight dark brown and shoulder length, in a loose bun, before taking out a pen from a pocket. Quickly she tapped the first clue of one of the crosswords.

_#01 Down - something that is attained through self capability._

She tapped twelve letters and smiled widely as she neatly printed out.

_Independence_


	2. Episode 1: Independence Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick Disclaimer. I do not own YJ though I wish I did. Anything you recognise from show is copyright of whoever makes it. Anything that isn't from show, such as extra lines and characters (like my OCs) do belong to me. Otherwise enjoy reading.

**Gotham City, July 4, 12:00pm EDT, 2010**

A family of three, a dad and his son and daughter were standing around a barbeque looking up at the shadowy form that loomed above them.

"Enjoying family time?" a cold half robotic voice said, before a blast of freezing air hurtled towards them, encasing them in ice.

"My family has other plans" Dr Freeze slid over the icy path he'd made for himself.

The civilians around him screamed as without any remorse he aimed his freeze ray at another bystander.

**Ting!**

The metallic clang reverberated around as a sharp black object hit Freeze's weapon. He stumbled a little and turned behind, following the projectile's path.

"Batman… I was wondering when…?"

But no one was there.

A boyish cackle, followed by a separate girlish giggle echoed in the silence. Freeze spun around looking for the source just as two figures hurtled towards him from the air.

There was a loud clunk of glass being hit as a pair of black booted feet and another pair of slender black gloved hands landed on the dome protecting Freeze's head. He hurtled forward landing on his front as two shuriken like objects, one red and one purple, struck again at the dome cracking it.

He looked up glaring at his attackers who turned out to be a boy and a girl. Both were young, in their early teens, and seemingly Caucasian, though the boy was a little paler than his female counterpart.

He was in a body suit with a red vest, short black sleeves and long black leggings, boots and gloves, a white stylised "R" symbol over his left pectoral. Over all this he wore a cape, black on the outside with yellow lining which matched the golden belt which had many pouches. His hair was short slightly messy and jet black.

The girl on the other hand had dark brown hair neatly tied in a high bun. She wore no cape but she did have a mid grey cloth mask over her mouth and nose and neck. She also wore a black full body suit under a cobalt violet leotard which accentuated the barely developed curves. A purple belt much like the boys hung around her waist matching a pair of garters just above her knees with similar pouches. Like the boy she too had a symbol a stylised symbol, an "S" but in black, over her left side.

Both young teens were wearing black and white domino masks covering their eyes and smirking down at Freeze smugly.

"Oh…Boy and Girl Wonder" Freeze arose slowly, his anger mounting "The bat sent you two to drag me off to prison. Frankly I'm underwhelmed"

"Great but I'm kind of in a hurry here" Robin said impatiently and Swift shook her head.

_Typical._

Swift's smirk grew as Freeze loaded his weapon again.

"Kids…Always in such a rush. I prefer to preserve these moments…forever"

_Well what do you know Frostbite just spilled some hot air. Oh the irony._

"Not talking to you" she sighed as she caught sight of what appeared to be a giant black bat leap from the shadows behind Freeze.

The super villain spun around and his eyes widened as Batman hurtled towards him.

Christine whistled under her breath as her mentor's fist stretched out and smashed into the glass protective dome. Freeze fell at his feet unconscious.

"Nice one boss" Swift said as she and Robin ran up to their mentor, who kicked Freeze's weapon across the ground towards them.

"Dismantle it quickly while I cuff him" he said sternly.

The sidekicks nodded, as Swift took out a timer and Robin squatted down.

"Ok? 3. 2. 1 GO!" she pressed the start button. Robin's hands flew over the gun and bit by bit second by second taking it apart and placing the parts in small groups before stopping abruptly.

"59 seconds and 50 milliseconds" Swift grinned as he wiped his brow.

"So did I beat it or not?" he asked as he began bagging the pieces into smaller separate parts.

"By 10 milliseconds" Swift grinned as Robin whooped in delight.

"Robin! Swift! It's time." Batman called as he opened the door to the black batmobile.

"I call Shotgun on the front seat" Robin bounded off ecstatically dragging Swift by the hand to the car.

"Take it by all means." Swift snorted as they hopped into their respective spots "everyone knows that the back seats are the better ones"

"Hah! You just want to go back to sleep again don't you?"

"Damn straight I do!" she fastened her seatbelt and sunk into a more comfortable position. She pulled out the drinks bolster that doubled as the back of the middle seat and lay her head down.

"But your gonna miss out on the fun"

"It's a chance I'm willing to take" she closed her eyes as Batman turned on the ignition. The purr of the engine was soothing and before long she was fast asleep.

"Kill joy" Dick pouted before grinning wickedly and pulling out his special Wayne Tech phone. He turned around in his sleep.

"Dick, let your sister sleep a little" Batman droned, sounding more like an exasperated father than a terrifying vigilante.

"But she's…"

"It's a two hour drive from here to Washington, so wait. Besides if you really want some good photos wait till she starts snoring in ten minutes"

Robin snickered and Batman allowed himself to smile as he caught sight of Swift sleeping, blissfully unaware of her brother's next prank.

* * *

**Washington D.C., July 4, 14:00 EDT, 2010**

Batman, Robin and Swift stood before the large pool in front of the Hall of Justice, just as four people came out from behind some bushes, where, as Swift knew from experience, a hidden Zeta tube stood.

The first she recognised were Green Arrow and Speedy.

"Hey GA! Speedy!" Robin waved cheerily. Swift pulled down her mouth covering as she too smiled and waved. Speedy gave a rare small smile of his own in return and nodded at them.

Swift then noticed the other two figures behind the archers, one she recognised to be Aquaman. He was tall and had a blond hair and beard. He was dressed in a stealth suit with an orange top and dark green leggings with a belt with an "A" Symbol on it.

"Greetings Batman" He greeted Batman and shook his hand before looking down on Robin and Swift and smiling.

"Greetings Robin, Swift. I see you two are faring well."

"Sure are." Robin grinned.

"For the most part," Swift mumbled as under her mask she glared at Robin.

Aquaman chuckled before standing aside and revealing a teenage boy. He was probably closer to Speedy's age and just as tall, with dark skin, light blond hair and pale green eyes. Like Aquaman he too wore a stealth suit with the "A" buckled belt; except his was a dark red at the top and navy at the bottom and was sleeveless revealing eel tattoos that twisted around each arm. On his back he carried a strange black and silver backpack with two handles sticking out.

"This is my protégé, Aqualad"

Aqualad gave a small, slightly nervous smile to them. "It is an honour to finally meet you all at last"

He extended a hand and Swift shook.

"It's an honour to meet you too." she smiled pleasantly up at him.

"Yeah! I hope we get to work with you soon" Robin added as he took his turn to shake the older boy's hand. Speedy just nodded from his spot next to Green Arrow.

Aqualad's smile seemed to relax as all four sidekicks went to stand, facing the Hall of Justice.

"Today's the day" Batman said, a small smile on his face as he put a hand on each of his protégé's shoulders.

"Welcome to the hall of Justice" Green Arrow grinned.

"Headquarters of the Justice League" Aquaman added.

"Aww man!" the voice of another teenage boy wafted over to where they stood.

A loud grinding of dirt and fast feet screeched behind them and they all turned to see a man in red halt to a stop, followed by a fifteen year old in yellow and red.

"I knew we'd be the last ones here" the boy complained then he spotted Speedy, Robin and Swift.

Kid Flash sped over to the other teenagers.

"Hey dudes! Babe" he winked at Swift giving her a mock bow.

"Hello Kid" she smiled amused. She caught Robin's short glare behind Kid Flash's back. As soon as her adoptive brother caught her eye though, he grinned.

"Who's the new guy" Kid Flash asked, taking out a granola bar as he looked up at Aqualad who bowed and introduced himself.

"Hope we aren't too late" said Flash to the other mentors who nodded as Green Arrow took a small camera out of a pocket.

"Alright kids lets get a group shot!" he called to all the sidekicks who all turned.

"Don't call me a kid" Speedy said grumpily folding his arms.

"Oh Speedy don't be such a sourpuss!" his mentor chastised him playfully.

Batman stood a small smile barely visible on his face as he watched his two sidekicks jostle for position in the group photo. They were growing up so fast. It seemed only yesterday he was teaching both of them the basics of his crime fighting and now he was introducing them as potential candidates for the Justice League. Needless to say he was proud.

He allowed Green Arrow to take several photos, even a silly one where Robin and Kid Flash both pulled grotesquely funny faces which made Swift standing between them laugh, before calling out to them all to start making their way towards the Hall.

Swift smirked as they came towards the steps were a small group of the Paparazzi and the public were gathered around a small path made for the heroes.

Just as they were about to step onto the path a soft something flew across their path. It was a soft brown teddy bear. Swift hurried to pick it up and handed it to the little girl who had dropped it. She had light brown hair and big dark eyes filled with wonder as she gazed up at Swift before smiling shyly and mumbling.

"Thank you, Miss Swift"

"No problem" Swift smiled back.

Robin smiled at the sweet sight and Kid Flash elbowed him waggling his eyebrows.

"Oh shut up!" Robin mumbled as they began to walk up towards the white steps. Many cameras flashed and whirred in their direction and many voices talked loudly.

_"Is that Batman?"_

_"I see Flash and Flash Jr!"_

_"His name's Speedy,"_

_"No! Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick!"_

_"Well that makes no sense."_

"Ready to see the inner sanctum?" Green Arrow said to the sidekicks.

"Born that way!"

Swift smiled. Even Speedy, the moodiest teen she knew couldn't control his excitement at this moment.

"I'm glad we're all here" Aqualad agreed.

"Have all five sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash said excitedly but Speedy cut across him his moodiness back.

" **Don't**  call us sidekicks! Not after today."

"Sorry. First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed" Kid Flash apologised

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?" Robin huffed as they climbed up the stairs.

Kid Flash gave Swift a look that said quite plainly

_What the hell is up his butt now?_

Swift just shrugged as they went through the front doors before pointing up at the giant Bronze statues of the founding members of the Justice League.

"Oh, maybe that's why"

"Ya think?" Swift raised her eyebrows as they walked towards a metal doorway with a sign that read in big bold letters. "AUTHORISED PERSONELL ONLY"

It opened just as they approached it, revealing two caped figures. One was a red android with a yellow "T" on his chest, Red Tornado in and the other was green skinned with a bald head wearing a black suit with a red X across his chest, Martian Manhunter. It was he who spoke first.

"Robin, Swift, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash. Welcome." He turned round. Robin and Kid Flash fist pumped as they all followed Manhunter down the length of a long hallway.

"You now have unlimited access to our Gym, our fully stocked galley and of course our library. He finished as they walked through another pair of metal doors into a large room lined with bookcases. At the far end of the room were seats and a large computer.

"Make yourselves at home" said Flash.

Swift excitedly went to a random bookcase and pulled out a book which turned out to be an illustrated botanical encyclopaedia. She returned to the seated area to find Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad already comfortably seated in chairs. Speedy was the only one standing, arms folded and watching the adults who stood in front of another doorway. Swift sat herself down on the arm of Robin's chair and began flicking through the pages.

Her eyes looked over a page with the illustration of an extremely rare variety of an exotic orchid. She smirked as a memory of beating Poison Ivy last week came to the forefront of her mind.

"That's it!" Speedy's cry of indignation startled her so much that she fell backwards into Robin's lap her calves still hanging off the edge of the arm she'd been sitting on. Robin didn't help her but like the others was staring at Speedy, who Swift now saw was standing in front of the adult Leaguers, his posture demonstrating a lot of pent up rage.

"You promised us a real look inside. Not a glorified Backstage pass"

"It's a first step. You've been granted access few others get" Aquaman said calmly. But his calm only seemed to aggravate Speedy further.

"Oh Really?!" he gesticulated towards the glass windows high above them where some members of the public were watching them. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy you just need to be patient" Green Arrow took Aquaman's example and tried to stay calm, but Speedy just cut across him too.

"What I need is  _respect_!" he turned to look at the other teens, just as Swift straightened up still on Robin's lap as he pulled his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder.

"Their treating us like kids. Worse. Like sidekicks! We deserve better than this"

Swift, Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad all exchanged puzzled looks before looking back at their comrade.

"You're kidding right?" he questioned dumbfounded "you're playing their game. Why? Because you think they play fair? Today was supposed to be  _the_ day. Step one to becoming full fledged members of the League!"

"Well sure" Swift said cautiously testing the waters before Kid Flash finished for her.

"But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ?"

Aqualad nodded in agreement. Robin and Swift kept silent exchanging a glance between themselves and Batman. They had a bad feeling to where this was going.

"Except the Hall isn't the Leagues real HQ"

Swift felt Robin's grip around her waist tighten and his jaw stiffened on her neck as they kept listening to Speedy's rant. "I bet they never told you, it's just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching Zeta beam teleporter tubes to the real thing. An orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."

Swift almost shuddered. She could feel Batman's intense glare even from this distance. Apparently Green Arrow could too because he turned round to face the Bat who folded his arms.

"I know, I know. But I thought maybe we could make an exception?"

But the white slits in the black cowl narrowed dangerously and the green clad hero faltered.

"Or not…"

Meanwhile at the front Aquaman took a few steps forward towards Speedy "You are not helping your cause here son. Stand down or-"

"Or what? You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son! I'm not even his." Speedy turned to Green Arrow glaring. "I thought I was his partner" he added quietly.

"But not anymore."

Swift saw as if in slow motion the yellow hat with the red feather fall to the ground with a soft thump before Speedy turned on his heel away from the adults and faced the teens.

Swift stood up and Speedy looked at her hopefully. But she gave a minute shake of the head and his face hardened. He glared at the others as the stood up as he passed them.

"Guess they were right about you four. " he gave Swift one last look, a mixture of an anger and of melancholy "You're not ready!"

"Roy…" she said. She sounded on the edge of tears, but he had already disappeared through the doors.

Robin and Kid Flash came up behind her and each put a hand on her shoulders both glaring at the doors. Speedy wasn't the easiest person to get along with but he had always gotten along best with Swift. Though fun loving, she was usually more level headed and down to earth than Kid Flash and Robin. Though, that probably came from being the only girl amongst the four of them. For Speedy to be that nasty towards her was a low blow.

A beeping sound distracted them and they turned around to see Superman's face on the large computer screens.

"Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus." Batman said as he and the other Leaguers walked over to the machine "This will present the perfect opportunity to-"

"Zatara to Justice League" Batman was cut off by an Italian sounding voice as a smaller screen with a man in black tails and top hat overlapped Superman's image. "The sorcerer Wontan is using the Amulet of Aten to Blot out the sun. Requesting full League response."

"Superman?" Batman looked up at the Man of Steel's calm image.

"It's a small fire; local authorities have it under control"

"Then Cadmus can wait. All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's co-ordinates. Batman out." Batman clicked the screen off just as Swift, Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash walked up behind them, ready for action. He turned around to face them.

"Stay put." He said quickly.

"What! Why?" Robin sounded shocked.

"This is a League mission." Aquaman looked down at the teenagers sternly.

"You're not trained-" Flash added but his sidekick exclaimed.

"Since when?!"

"I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team." Flash gestured towards Batman and Aquaman as the latter said.

"There will be other missions. When you're ready."

"But for now,  _stay put_." Batman narrowed his eyes particularly hard at Robin before glancing briefly at Swift.

She was looking down at the carpet fiddling with her hands. Roy's words really had upset her it seemed. His protective fatherly instinct flared up at once. If ever he met that boy again he would hit him so hard he wouldn't know whether he was coming or going. He glanced back at Robin as if to say wordlessly.

_"Make sure you take care of her"_

Robin glanced back. He still seemed pissed off at being left behind but he nodded anyway.

Swift looked back up and gave Batman a small smile. "Good luck, boss"

Batman nodded, allowing the briefest of comforting smiles to flash across his face as he turned and left with the others.

The four teenagers stood in silence for a few moments.

Kid Flash was the first to crack.

"When we're ready?! How are we ever supposed to be ready if they treat us like…like… Sidekicks!"

"My mentor…my King…I thought he trusted me" Aqualad also sounded rather hurt.

"Trust? Trust! They don't even trust us with the basics. They have a secret HQ in SPACE!" Kid Flash waved his arms around reminding Swift of a helicopter. The ghost of a smile appeared, but it was quickly removed when Robin spoke up.

"I have a better question. Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

There was another pause as everyone looked back down at the floor. Finally Aqualad spoke.

"What is… Project Cadmus?"

"Dunno" Robin shrugged

"But we can find out" Swift finished a sly smile creeping over her face. She winked at Robin who smirked back.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked as they both headed over to the computer.

"I think I am B2" the two of them laughed as they both began typing at top speed.

"What is this playtime?" Kid Flash rolled his eyes as the female computer voice said in monotones

_"Access Denied"_

"Wanna bet" Swift snorted as she and Robin began typing again.

"Whoa" Kid Flash's jaw almost dropped as the data streams began unravelling before their very eyes. "How are you doing that?"

"Same system," Swift began

"As the Batcave" Robin finished.

"Do they always finish each other's sentences?" Aqualad asked with a hint of amusement.

"This is nothing. You should see them when they work with Batman on a case" Kid Flash muttered "then it becomes really bad"

"Kid you're just jealous 'cause you don't have a partner" Robin started again

"To finish your sentences for you" Swift turned her head, her fingers still dancing across the keyboard without effort.

"See what I mean" Kid flash pouted folding his arms as the female computer voice sounded again.

_"Access granted"_

The two hackers straightened up triamphantly grinning.

"Project Cadmus…genetics lab…here in D.C."

"Hang on! That's it?" Swift quirked an eyebrow at the data on the screen.

"But if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate" Robin's smirk grew.

"Solve their case before they do?" Swift considered the option thoughtfully.

"That would be poetic justice" Aqualad agreed nodding.

"Hey they're all about justice" Robin put his hands on his hips and faced the older boy who sighed.

"But they said stay put"

"For the blotting out the sun mission" Robin explained excitedly.

"Not this" Swift added jerking her thumb at the screen.

"Wait" Kid Flash suddenly grinned with growing understanding "are you both going to Cadmus? Because if you're going I'm going"

The two younger boys both turned around and grinned up at Aqualad oh so innocently. Swift sighed as she shook her head and rolled her eyes at the two of them fondly.

"Just like that?" Aqualad questioned. "We're a team on a mission"

"That sounds about right." Swift smirked folding her arms

"Besides we didn't come for a play date"

Aqualad smiled.

* * *

The black batmobile pulled over into a small alley way and four teenagers stepped out. Or rather three of them stepped out and one fell over out of one of the back seats.

"When I get a car of my own, remind me to never allow you to drive it!" Kid Flash said glaring up from the ground at Swift who smugly got out of the driver's seat.

"Oh relax Kid it wasn't that bad. Besides Robin and Aqualad seem alright" Swift exchanged a grin with Robin who cackled as he helped his friend up to his feet. Aqualad was up ahead looking around the corner of the alley way and down the road.

A building stood. Between three to four stories high and it was smoking. The fire department was already there but they seemed to have trouble getting the inhabitants to safety.

"There are two scientists trapped on the second floor." He said as the other's caught up with him.

"On it!" Kid Flash cried out excitedly

"Kid wait!" Swift cried out but the speedster rushed on ahead. The second floor of the building exploded and the two scientists began falling. Kid zoomed up the side of the building and forced the two scientists on the roof before falling backwards. He managed to catch himself in time on a window of the second story.

"It's what's his name, Flash Boy!" one of the fire-fighters called out.

"Kid Flash! Why is that so hard?" the speedster grumbled.

"So smooth" Robin's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Does he always have to run ahead? We need a plan. We… Robin?" Aqualad looked around as Swift pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"You've got to be kidding me" she groaned as her partner's famous cackle echoed all around them. Then she spotted him running over the fire truck before jumping through the window on his grapple gun and helping Kid Flash climb through.

Swift and Aqualad shared a brief nod before running ahead. Swift launched her own grapple gun to the top of the fire truck's extended ladder, just as Aqualad ran over to the two fire fighters with the hydrant.

"I need to borrow that!" he demanded.

As she swung upwards Swift looked on as Aqualad took the two handles from the pack on his back and his tattoos glowed bright blue. She jumped through the window and watched in awe as he took the water from the fire hydrant and created a swirling platform which he used to lower the two scientists to the ground before joining them at the window.

"Ok that was cool!" she said as he jumped through. He spared her a small smile before straightening up and looking at Robin who was typing away at a tiny computer.

"Appreciate the help" he said sarcastically but Robin just grinned.

"You handled it, besides we're here to investigate. Poetic justice remember?"

"That's strange…" Swift's soft voice sounded curious.

"What is it Swift?" Aqualad walked up to Swift who had walked over to a doorway leading to a hallway at the end of which was an elevator.

"I don't know…" she squinted in the half light.

Whilst the boys had been talking a metallic beeping had caught her ears and she was peering around the corner just as a strange figure walked into the elevator.

It seemed to be humanoid but even from a distance she could see two long horns on its head.

She looked up at Aqualad whose head was above hers also looking as the doors of the elevator closed on the creature. They both stepped out.

Robin looked up from the computer as he finished downloading the files

"There was something in the-" Aqualad began but Kid Flash interrupted him

"Elevators should be locked down"

Robin rushed ahead and tapped the up and down buttons before staring at the doors.

"This is wrong" he muttered pulling up his holographic computer in his glove. It quickly scanned the lift before pulling up a match on the database.

"Thought so this is a high speed express elevator"

"But…this doesn't belong in a two story building" Swift narrowed her eyes at the screen.

"Neither does what we saw" Aqualad agreed before walking over to the lift doors and wrenching them apart.

Swift ran forward and peered under his outstretched arms.

"And that's why they need an express elevator" she looked down the shaft. It was very deep. She couldn't even see the bottom. Robin appeared by her side and wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her into him, as he aimed is grappling gun at the roof. She only just managed to put her arms around his neck as they leapt off together hurtling down the shaft.

_Sub 21, Sub 22, Sub 23_

Swift counted the floors in her head until they came to a jerky stop in front of Sub level 26. She looked at Robin.

"I'm at the end of my rope" he explained slightly sheepishly. Together they swung onto the narrow landing. They were followed shortly by Aqualad and Kid Flash, the latter needing Swift and Aqualad's help to steady himself as Robin bypassed security. Once again Aqualad wrenched open the doors and they stepped all through.

"Welcome to Project Cadmus" Robin said quietly. They looked around cautiously.

It was nothing like the floors above. It seemed that they had walked into a kind of warehouse which was bathed in a dim reddish light.

A whoosh came from behind Swift as she turned to see Kid Flash running off.

"Wait" Aqualad whispered urgently.

"Not again" Swift groaned as they all sped up to follow Kid's path. They ran down several rows and till they could see a much wider pathway up ahead.

But it was blocked. Blocked by huge mammoth sized monsters walking on all fours across their paths. They were grey skinned and red eyed and seemed to have large tusks growing out of their mouths. Smaller similar creatures which resembled monkeys, except for the fact they had little horns on their heads, sat upon them. One of them turned and caught sight of them. Its little horns glowed red

"No. Nothing odd going on here"

Swift heard Aqualad but his voice seemed quite distant to her. She didn't understand why but the little imp like creature looked somehow…familiar…

The creatures passed but still Swift kept her eyes on the creatures. It took a couple of tugs from Robin to get her to walk again.

After a couple more doors were hacked through they finally found another space.

"Ok I'm officially whelmed" Robin's eyes widened. They had entered a room in which rows upon rows of alien like creatures glowed blue as they produced surges of blue electricity.

The crackling and buzzing sound hummed all around them as they walked past them.

"This is how the hide this massive underground facility from the world" Kid Flash said with dawning understanding "The real Cadmus isn't on the grid. It generates its own power with these… things. Must be what they're bred for"

"Of course even the name is a clue. The Cadmus of myth created a new race"

"By sewing dragon's teeth into the earth…right?" Swift finished for him. Aqualad nodded.

"And this Cadmus creates new life too." Robin knelt down and plugged in his holo computer into another machine close by. "Let's find out why" he waited for a few moments until finally the info popped up.

"They call them Genomorphs. Whoa! Look at the stats of these things."

"Super strength, telepathy, razor claws? These are living weapons!" Swift's eyes widened in shock as she tapped the holoscreen to scroll through.

"Their engineering an army" Kid Flash said unusually grave "But for who" he looked at Swift who was still looking at the screen.

"Wait there's something else … Project K R?" she pointed to a point on the screen as Aqualad came over to look at it too.

Robin began typing but it seemed to take forever, by his standard.

"What's going on?" Swift asked concerned

"Arghh! The file's triple encrypted" he grumbled annoyed at the screen "I- I can't-"

"Don't move!" came a harsh male voice from the other end of the room.

"Holy shit" Swift jumped in alarm reaching into her utility belt where she grabbed a couple of smoke pellets. As she did so a man in a blue and black uniform with a golden helmet ran into the room surrounded by more of the genomorphic creatures.

He came to a halt when he saw who they were.

"Wait. Robin, Swift, Aqualad…Kid Flash?"

"at least he got your name right" Robin smirked. Swift elbowed him as she straightened up.

"I know you" Aqualad looked at the man calmly "Guardian… a hero"

"I do my best" he said looking at all of them gravely.

"Then what are you doing here?" Kid Flash cried out.

"I think that's my question kids. I'm chief of security. You're trespassing but we can call the Justice League"

Swift tightened her hold on her smoke pellets as she gave Robin a look.

_Be ready to move if he attacks. Go to the door and unlock it._

She wordlessly said as Kid Flash remonstrated with the older hero about his involvement with Cadmus's building weapons.

She caught a flash of red as the little genomorph on Guardian's shoulder made its horns glow red.

_Come on! Hurry up Robin!_

Robin glared at the screen as if willing it to go faster.

"Take 'em down hard! No mercy!" Guardian yelled. The Genomorphs leapt forward and Swift threw down her smoke pellets.

Robin went on ahead to the doors. The creatures attacked as the smoke cleared around them. Swift managed to knock away a few but then caught sight of Guardian running towards her. She parried his attacks, using her speed and flexibility to dodge many of his attacks.

Swift knew she wasn't the strongest of people. Her petite size and lack of brute strength had always made her a prime target for the enemies she'd faced. This was partially why Batman tried to make her avoid conflict when she was on patrol. He was the heavy weight, capable of taking down the big guns using his strength and size. Robin was a distraction. His loud personality and quick movements were great for distracting the goons. Swift was the sneaky one. Small, fast and silent she was capable of slinking around the enemy and using her skills to quietly unravel the villains plans without their noticing whether it be disabling a weapon or freeing hostages.

A genomorph lunged at her and she ducked, but it distracted her long enough allowing Guardian to land a hit in her ribs.

She fell backwards and the genomorphs began piling on top of her pinning her to the ground. She struggled amongst them and winced as one bit her upper arm.

She cried out in pain before throwing it off. But as soon as she saw it hit the wall then two, no three more pounced on the spot it had left open.

She heard a thud as Aqualad threw a defeated Guardian away from him. Soon after a blur of Yellow and red knocked all the genomorphs off her as Kid Flash picked her up bridal style and rushed towards the door where Robin was still trying to hack a door.

"Way to be a team player Rob!" he said angrily

"Weren't you right behind me?" Robin asked as he continued hacking.

"Hey save it for the honeymoon boys we've got incoming!" Swift called peering over Kid Flash's shoulder watching as Aqualad ran towards them pursued by more genomorphs.

The light on the door turned green and the doors opened. They rushed inside Aqualad only just making it through.

Swift felt her feet hit the ground and she pulled out a bandage from a pouch in her belt. She began wrapping her bleeding arm but Kid Flash took it from her and began wrapping it for her.

"Thanks" she panted wiping sweat from her face.

"We're going down?" Aqualad narrowed his eyes at Robin.

"Dude out is  _up_!" Kid said as he finished tying the bandage.

"Excuse me Project K.R. it's  _down_  on sub level 52"

"Robin seriously!" Swift nearly face palmed.

"This is out of control" Aqualad leaned against the wall "Perhaps…Perhaps we should contact the League"

But no sooner had he finished speaking then the elevator beeped and the doors opened onto the strangest sight yet. They seemed to be in a cave like area with red slimy things growing out of the wall.

"You've got to be kidding me" Swift watched exasperated as Robin rushed on ahead.

"Well we are already here" Kid Flash shrugged following suit.

Aqualad looked towards Swift who gave him a wry smile.

"Welcome to my world"

He then looked at her arm but before he could say anything she waved him off following the other two boys.

"It's nice of you to worry but don't trust me I've had far worse"

Aqualad sighed deeply before hurrying behind her.

Eventually they all reached a crossroads. They all crouched behind some canisters in their way.

"Which way?" Aqualad sounded very annoyed now.

Swift couldn't blame him. He'd only just met them all and already he was being led in irritating circles of insanity. She was quite impressed he hadn't exploded yet.

"Yeah bizarre looking hallway one or bizarre looking hallway two" Robin pointed at the crossroads birdarang in hand.

"HOLD!" a strange voice commanded.

Swift gasped as the strange horned creature from upstairs walked into view. She now saw that he was another Genomorph except unlike his fellow creatures he was humanoid, seemed capable of verbal speech and wore a white uniform. She didn't have time to think this through though as she saw his eyes and horns glow red and his hand raise.

Almost instantly, the canisters in front of him lifted up into the air and hurtled across towards them. "GO NOW! I'll hold him off!" Robin pushed Swift behind him towards Aqualad and Kid Flash and h threw the birdarang in his hand towards the creature. Another group of canisters came hurtling their way and they all ran down the left corridor.

They came into another corridor at the end of which was a door.

"Hurry!" Kid Flash said as he wedged the door with a cylinder before darting in. Robin went next dragging Swift behind him and she was followed by Aqualad who used his strength to kick the cylinder out closing the door, before the genomorphs could even arrive.

Swift leaned on the wall next to the computer Robin was working on as he announced that he'd disabled the door. She looked up in time to see him finish.

"We're safe"

"We're trapped" Aqualad deadpanned.

"Either way you look at it now it's still the same thing" she took a deep breath before straightening up.

"err…guys!" Kid Flash's voice echoed from another computer. "You'll wanna see this"

The others looked up and walked over to him just as whatever was behind the computer lit up.

Their eyes bulged in their sockets.

A large glass case stood in front of them, the symbol Kr printed I dark grey. And inside it was a boy. He was probably sixteen years old at most, dark haired and wearing a glowing white suit with a very familiar red S symbol. He seemed to be asleep for his eyes were closed and he didn't move.

Kid Flash was the first to recover. He walked around the computer to stand in front of the glass. Swift meanwhile simply stared at the guy in the pod a million questions whirling around her head.

"Big K little R the atomic symbol for Krypton"

"Is he a clone?" Swift asked narrowing her eyes as she gazed at the red "S".

"Robin hack" Aqualad ordered.

"Oh! Uh…Right…right" Robin finally snapped out of his shock and began to hack fast.

"Weapon designation Superboy." Robin read aloud from his holo screen "a clone force grown in-"

"SIXTEEN WEEKS!" Swift cried out in alarm as she read over his shoulder. Robin winced.

"Sorry." She mumbled before reading on "from DNA acquired from Superman"

" _Stolen_  from Superman" Aqualad narrowed his eyes at the data.

"No way the big guy knows about this" Kid Flash added.

"Gnah! You think?" Swift raised her eyebrows at Kid Flash who glared at her.

"Hey I was just saying-"

"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation twenty four seven!" Robin steamrolled over the two before an argument could break out.

"And these things?" Swift pointed t the little critters in bulbs above Superboys head.

"Genomorph gnomes. Telepathic"

"They must be force feeding him an education and we can guess what else" she glanced back at the real life pod and at the boys face.

"They're making a slave out of …well…" Kid Flash paused for a moment trying to find the right phrase "Superman's … son"

"Now we contact the League" Aqualad stated. They all nodded each trying their separate ways of communicating.

Swift tapped her com in her ear but she could get no signal.

"Nothing" she sighed.

"No signal" Robin added.

"We're in too deep" Kid Flash sighed too.

"Literally" she nodded.

They paused for a long moment turning to look at the Superboy in his pod. He seemed quite peaceful fast asleep completely unaware of the fact that he was to be used as a weapon for war.

"This is wrong" Kid Flash turned to face them all.

Robin nodded in agreement. "We can't leave him like this"

Swift kept her eyes on the pod as the Gegnomes horns glowed.

"Set him free" She heard Aqualad order "do it!"

Robin clicked a few more buttons and the pod door opened.

They held their breath, watching as a finger twitched. Then his flew open. Within the blink of an eye he rushed them all, pinning Aqualad to the ground hitting him repeatedly.

Swift, Robin and Kid Flashed all rushed to grab the boys flailing limbs before they could do any more damage. In the commotion Swift got hit in the jaw and flew backwards into a wall.

"Hang on Supey"

"We're on your side!" but Robin and Kid Flash had barely any luck in holding the Superboy down.

"KID LOOK OUT" Swift cried out but too late.

The speedster flew into a glass tube and landed on the floor unconscious. Swift rushed forwards just as Robin cried out.

"I don't wanna have to do this!" before trying to blast a gas pellet in the clone's face. He stumbled backwards and Robin and Swift both took out their tasers and aimed for his chest. They hit but the small current was useless. Superboy's skin must have been invulnerable too.

He tugged on the cords. Swift quickly let go of hers and was not tugged forwards but Robin wasn't so lucky. Superboy shoved him into the ground before crunching his foot on Robin's chest.

"ENOUGH!" Aqualad's voice rang out as he summoned a blue hammer made of water and delivered a powerful strike to Superboy's jaw. It seemed to work and Superboy was slammed back into his pod.

"Robin!" Swift cried out as she and Aqualad ran to Robin's side. Robin sat up briefly but then fell down again, exhausted from the effort.

Swift looked up.

"Aqualad" she said timidly. They both stood up, Aqualad pushing Swift behind him in a protective stance. He pushed his palm out and Superboy paused.

"We are trying to help you" he said still keeping himself in front of Swift.

But words didn't seem to have any effect on the boy in front who lunged again at Aqualad and Swift. They both dodged. Swift was about to step in to help him but Aqualad yelled

"No Swift stay back! Get the-" but he was cut off as Superboy punched at him again. The two fought for a while and finally Aqualad seemed to get the upper hand. He grabbed Superboy from behind around the shoulders and his eel tattoos glowed again, producing blue pulses of electricity.

But Superboy it transpired was much smarter than they gave him credit for. He leapt high in the air crushing Aqualad against the roof, before landing on the ground. He repeated the action several times until Aqualad finally lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

All the while Swift had been rooted to the spot in fear, but now Superboy turned to face her. She gulped and blinked.

She opened her eyes just in time to see his fist overcome her vision which suddenly turned… to pitch black.


	3. Episode 2 - Fireworks

**Episode 2: Fireworks**

**Project Cadmus, Washington D.C., July 5, 00:01 EDT, 2010**

_Time runs short. You must awaken. You must awaken NOW!_

Swift gasped her eyes shooting open. She choked and spluttered as she caught sight of Kid Flash and Aqualad on her left. She turned and saw Robin on her right.

They all were hanging by their wrists in pods of their own now. Swift tried to move her legs but they wouldn't budge. They, like her wrists, were shackled too.

As she looked up she caught the gaze of two eyes looking at her. She started.

It was the Superboy. He was standing in front of all their pods stock still, almost soldier like. His eyes, which Swift noticed for the first time, were blue. Not the light sparkling light blue that Swift often admired in Robin's eyes, but deeper, like a turbulent ocean swirling with troubled thoughts as he glared up at them. She wondered vaguely if he was capable of speech.

Swift opened her mouth to strike up a conversation but at that moment Kid Flash burst out angrily.

"What? What do you want?"

_Way to go KF! Be a jerk to the guy that could probably kill us all._

Swift scowled but Superboy just kept staring at them blankly.

"Quit staring you're creeping me out!" Kid yelled again.

"Uh…KF…how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?" Robin hissed.

Superboy didn't respond.

The four detainees exchanged glances.

"You alright?" Swift muttered under her breath to Robin who was eyeing her with worry.

Aqualad and Kid Flash glanced their way but tactfully turned their attention back to gazing at Superboy.

"I'm fine, what about you?"

"Mostly alright, but my face has seen better days" she gave him a tired smile but Robin still looked concerned. He eyed the magnificent dark bruise on her forehead from where Superboy had punched her.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? It was my idea to hack the league systems in the first place Robin."

"Yeah." He muttered looking away "but Batman told me to look after you and well…"

"Robin how many times do I have to remind you I'm not one of your damsels in distress" Swift tried to give him a reassuring smile but it turned out to be more of a grimace as her head throbbed "We'll get out of here. We always do…eventually."

A small silence as Kid Flash caught Robin and Swift's eyes and smirked. The two younger teen's cheeks flushed slightly pink with embarrassment.

Eventually Aqualad addressed Superboy.

"We only sought to help you"

"Yeah. We free you and you turn on us. How's that for gratitu-" but Swift cut across Kid Flash.

"Oh Kid knock it off! Superboy is a victim here just as much as the rest of us!"  
"What?!" the speedster glared at Swift angrily "I can't believe it! You're taking  **his**  side? After he kicked our butts. Are you crazy?"

"Hey back off!" Robin struggled angrily as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Or what you'll just dangle there?"

"Kid, Robin please be quiet now" Aqualad's voice cut between them sharply. It wasn't a shout but it shut them up all the same "Swift is quite right. I too believe that our new friend was not in full control of his actions"

Swift sighed in relief as both she and Robin flicked out their lock picks from their gloves silently.

"What if…what if I wasn't" came a quiet slightly deep voice. Swift stopped short as did everyone else.

"He can talk!" Kid Flash's jaw almost dropped in amazement.

Superboy's fist clenched angrily. "Yes…he can!"

Kid looked around sheepishly. "It's not like I said it"

"The genomorph's taught you, telepathically?" Aqualad asked intrigued.

"They taught me much." Superboy replied quietly looking down at the floor. "I can read…write…I know the names of things"

Behind the domino mask Swift looked down on him with compassionate pity. He was like a child. Confused and angry with a world that he could barely understand. This was probably the first time he'd ever been out of his pod. The first time he'd ever come face to face with other people and from the slightly raspy sound of his voice the first time he's ever talked.

"But have you seen them?" She asked quietly "Have they ever actually let you see the sky…"

"Or the sun?" Robin finished for her.

"Images are implanted in my mind but no…I have not seen them" Swift finally heard it, the longing in his voice. Out of the recesses of his primitive like mind, a sense of consciousness was beginning to emerge. Superboy's voice was slowly loosing the hoarseness and was instead being replaced with emotion. This was a good sign.

The other's seemed to sense this too as Aqualad asked.

"Do you know what you are? Who you are?"

"I am the Superboy. A genomorph. A clone made from the DNA of the Superman. Created to replace him should he perish. To destroy him should he turn from the light"

_Two steps forward one step back!_

Swift resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"To be like Superman is…a worthy aspiration" Aqualad sounded like he was carefully treading over very hot coals. "But like Superman you deserve a life of your own. Beyond that solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus"

"I live because of Cadmus" Superboy burst forth angrily "It is my home!"

"Your home is a test tube" Robin stated matter of factly.

" **We**  can show  **you**  the sun" Swift added smiling kindly before wincing as her head throbbed again.

"err..I'm pretty sure it's after midnight" Kid Flash deadpanned but double tracked when he caught Swift's nasty glare "…but we can show you the moon" he quickly added nervously.

"We can show you…introduce you to Superman" Aqualad finished.

Superboy's eyes widened at this pronouncement.

_Yes success_

"No they can't!"

Swift's little victory dance in her head stopped as the doors to their chamber opened and a scientist walked in. He seemed to be middle aged and had brown hair with two grey bangs at the front all tied back in a low ponytail. He wore black rimmed glasses and his white lab coat swished around him. He was flanked at the side by Guardian and another female scientist. All three of them had the strange little genomes on their shoulders.

"They'll be otherwise occupied" he eyed his captives inside their pods "Activate the cloning device"

"Pass" Swift called out eyes narrowed at the scientists.

"Batcave's crowded enough" Robin added.

"And get the weapon back in its pod!" he yelled at Guardian who obeyed without question. Swift read the tag on the male scientist's coat.

_Dr Mark Desmond_

"Hey! How come he gets to call Supey an it?!" Kid Flash said irritated as Guardian put a hand on Superboy's shoulder.

"Help us…please?" Swift gave Superboy a pleading look.

He hesitated taking a long look at her, and Swift saw his confusion deepen. And then it was gone. He shrugged Guardian of him glaring.

"Don't start thinking now!" Desmond complained as the genome on his shoulder hopped onto Superboy. It's little horns glowed red and Superboy's face turned blank.

"See you're not a real boy, you're a weapon. And you belong to me!" but then Desmond back tracked at once "well, to Cadmus. Same thing. Now get back to your pod!"

Superboy turned and walked out the door quietly. Desmond turned back to face the sidekicks.

"So you are the famous sidekicks? Aqualad, Kid Flash, Swift and … Boy Wonder" he smirked as his eyes fell on Robin. Swift shifted uncomfortably. Something in her gut was telling her this wasn't going to end well.

"Tell me Robin which one of your friends would you like me to make a demonstration of first."

Desmond walked towards Aqualad. Robin's eyes narrowed slightly but he didn't struggle. "No well then how about him?" Desmond pointed to Kid Flash.

Robin's eyes narrowed even more but it still wasn't enough for Desmond. The scientist finally approached Swift his smile widening as Robin gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Ladies first then"

Desmond turned back to the other female scientist and nodded. She typed on a keyboard in front of her and immediately two robotic arms shot out in front of Swift. Her eyes widened in dawning horror as the ends of them split into finger like appendages with needle tips. They pierced through the protective armour under her costume and into her chest.

At once pain shot through her system as bolts of electricity riddled her body striking at every nerve, every muscle, and every fibre of her being. Swift shrieked in pain as slowly a strange sucking sensation began to pull out blood from where the metal needles were pinned.

She was screaming so loudly that she barely heard her friends calling out to her in horror. Black dots began to obscure her vision.

"Stop it!" Robin yelled at Desmond half torn between terror and rage "Stop! You're hurting her! We'll do whatever you want, just STOP!"

The last word came out as an agonised scream as metallic arms shot out from the three remaining pods and pinned themselves into the young heroes chests.

They all struggled and screamed as their blood seeped into translucent spheres.

As he struggled Aqualad thought he could hear Desmond say.

"…delete the original"

He shut his eyes tight and focused with all his might on the one person whom their life may depend on.

"Superboy…" he whispered as he forced his mind to reach into the teenage clones " **You**  live. That gives you the right to follow your own path. A weapon? … Or a person? The choice is yours but ask yourself. What would Superman do?"

* * *

Superboy had been walking obediently back to his pod room before he heard the strange Atlantian boys voice in his head. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face the direction he'd come from.

_What would Superman do?_

He remembered the young girls face when she stood up for him back in that room. She hadn't been lying; even the smile she'd given him was genuine not like the greedy look the scientists gave him. She had addressed him like he was a friend not a weapon, and so had they, the other sidekicks, even if the one in yellow was rather annoying. He then remembered their faces. They were physically no older than himself. Teenagers…kids… like him.

He remembered the warm feeling as he'd talked more with them and his chest tightened. He placed his hand over it confused. He was a clone, a weapon of war, but being with those other kids made him feel more alive…more human.

Did Superman feel like this too? Was this the reason why he protected humanity? Because they made you feel… all these things?

He heard their screams far off in the distance and looked down at the red "S" symbol on his solar suit.

He didn't know much about his predecessor but he knew that Superman wouldn't turn down a plea for help, especially not from a bunch of kids.

Superboy turned on his heel and began jogging at an alarming speed.

He could see the door ahead. The screams were getting louder and louder. With a grunt he grabbed at the handles and tore the door off as if it were nothing more than paper.

They were all still screaming in pain, writhing and twisting but then it stopped as the female scientist in charge of the machine turned it off hurriedly.

Aqualad, Kid Flash and Robin sighed with relief. Swift's head lolled to the side as she panted hard. She was still seeing black spots all over the place and she felt her stomach churn uncomfortably.

"I told you to get back to your-" but Superboy merely pushed Desmond, Guardian and the strange horned talking genomorph aside and they crumpled to the floor.

"Don't give me orders" he growled down at Desmond. Swift raised her head seeing the blurred form of Superboy walk in front of them.

"Are you here to help us? Or fry us?" Kid Flash asked nervously.

Superboy narrowed his eyes in deep concentration at Kid who gulped.

… but nothing happened.

"hmm! I don't seem to have heat vision so I guess helping is my only option" and for the first time a ghost of a smile flitted across his face just as two metallic clicks announced Robins successful escape.

He landed on the floor nimbly and straightened up.

"Argh! Finally! Lucky Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long" he grunted causing Kid Flash to finally crack.

"Seriously that's what you're worried about. The whole league will have our heads after tonight! We got our asses kicked by a kryptonian! That crazy scientist would've killed us too after he cloned us! He almost killed Swift just now!"

There was a tense pause.

"You think I don't know that?"

Aqualad and Kid Flash shuddered under Robin's gaze. It was almost as dark as Batman's and just as terrifying in the half light.

"Robin…keyboard" Swift mumbled hoarsely from where she hung.

Robin sighed as he walked over to the computer and typed on some buttons. The needles on retracted from Swift, Kid Flash and Aqualad's bodies.

"Free Aqualad!" he spat, still slightly bitter, to Superboy "I'll get Swift and Kid Mouth!"

"Don't you give me any order's either" Superboy growled.

Robin undid Kid Flash's shackles first.

"Sorry about y'know" the speedster said as he helped his friend undo Swift's shackles.

"Save it for later, when we finally get out of here" Robin said as Swift almost toppled on top of him. The bruise on her forehead had swelled badly. "Think you can carry her"

"Do you really need to ask?" Kid Flash and Robin both grinned at each other all argument forgotten as the latter quickly helped place Swift in a piggyback position.

"Hey babe" Kid whispered gently. Swift stirred. Her head was still spinning and throbbing badly. The bruise on her forehead was probably now a concussion.

"What?" she grumbled

"Think you can hold on?"

"I'll try" she looped her arms around Kid Flash's head and hung on like a baby koala as the boys sped out of the room towards the smashed doorway.

"You'll - You'll never get out of here!" Desmond yelled from the floor where he lay "I'll have you back in your pods before morning!"

"That guy is not whelmed. Not whelmed at all" Robin sighed as he flung exploding birdarangs at the spheres containing their blood.

"What is it with him and this whelmed thing?" Kid Flash asked Swift who gave a weak giggle.

They ran through corridor after corridor of weird red slime slowly but surely ascending. As they ran Swift's mind began to clear more and her head throb less.

"We're still forty two levels below ground but if we can make the elevator-" but Aqualad stopped short as the mammoth sized genomorph trolls blocked their path.

Swift turned her head.

"Err…guys…."

They all turned to see the strange bubbles in the walls glow. One by one, the genomorphs hatched.

They turned back to their goal just in time to see one of the trolls rear up fists in the air. They jumped out of the way and sped off.

All except for Superboy who leaped forward and punched the lights out of the first troll.

Swift shut her eyes tight as Kid Flash used his super speed to dart between the trolls. They stopped just as Aqualad and Robin came out too. They stood there for a moment as the place shook slightly.

Rubble dropped in small pebble like forms from the ceiling.

"Superboy the goal is to escape! Not to bury ourselves here!" Aqualad called out to the very violent very angry Superboy who was pummelling everything in his path.

"YOU WANT ESCAPE!" he roared before picking up an unconscious troll and flinging it at the other two standing ones. They crumpled instantly.

They all ran to the door, Aqualad opening it with his bare hands.

Robin shot his grappling gun upwards as Kid Flash with Swift, who was still clinging like a baby monkey to his back, sped up the side of the wall.

Super boy followed tugging Aqualad with him as he leapt up into the air. They rose high up into the air, many stories high, just up till Sub level fourteen. Then…then they started to fall.

"I'm-I'm falling" Superboy sounded as shocked as they all felt.

Swift reached into her pocket and with a speed that even impressed Kid Flash flung one of her birdarangs which stuck onto the wall. Aqualad caught it and the two teenagers hung there.

"Superman can fly" Superboy mumbled as Robin landed next to Swift and Kid "Why can't I fly?"

"dunno. But it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound, still cool though" Swift grinned at Kid Flash's kindness as Superboy and Aqualad jumped down onto their landing.

"Thank you" he mumbled again, still looking quite disappointed with himself.

"Guys! This will have to be our exit!" Robin called as they heard the sound of the elevator. Swift looked down. It was empty. She looked up. The elevator bottom was getting closer and closer.

Superboy wrenched the doors open and they all toppled through just in time.

But their success was short lived as a massive army of genomorphs came around the corner. They turned around the corner and ran.

"You ok up there?" Kid Flash called to Swift.

"Much better now that we actually have an escape route" she said turning to face Robin who smiled gladly.

She was beginning to sound more cheery again. It wouldn't be too long before she could run and fight for herself.

"Go left! left!" Superboy called.

They turned left at the next crossroads.

"Right" he said after another few turns.

They turned right and … hit a dead end.

Kid Flash skidded to a halt and rounded on Superboy.

"Great direction Supey! You trying to get us re-podded!"

"No…I...I don't understand!" Superboy looked disappointed again.

Swift pinched Kid's ear as Aqualad and Robin caught up behind them.

"OW!"

"Don't pick on him!" she hissed.

"And don't apologise either. This is perfect!" Robin's grin grew even wider pointing at the air vent up high in the wall.

"Oof!" Kid winced as Swift put her hands on Kid Flash's shoulders and tossed herself into the air.

The boys watched in amazement as in mid flip she threw an exploding birdarang at the vent and hoisted herself through the newly made path before the vent's cover could even hit the ground.

Robin sighed grinning before mumbling fondly. "That's my girl"

The Kid Flash and Aqualad exchanged amused smirks and Superboy raised his eyebrows.

"Your girl?" he asked.

Robin flushed. "I-I never said that!"

"Dude you totally did" Kid Flash grinned. Robin glared at him.

_Oh man I'm so going to enjoy teasing him about this later_

The speedster thought happily as Swift's voice echoed from within the vent.

"Guys"

Her head poked out of the shadows, the white slits in her domino mask were narrowed very dangerously.

"What are you boy's waiting for an invitation?" she snapped.

They all gave her sheepish looks and she huffed as she pulled her head back.

"Whatever get your butts up here NOW!" they all flinched at the last word.

Robin jumped through first.

"Why are you so pink?" was her first question.

"Err…from running" he answered lamely. Swift rolled her eyes and began crawling. She as she did she opened up her holo-computer. Three more thuds came from behind her.

"ok" she mumbled "we're going to have to follow this vent before climbing a little further ahead. You think you can manage guys?"

They all nodded. They crawled for what felt like ages.

"Argg" they heard Kid Flash complain. He was second last in line, in front of Superboy. "At this rate we'll never get out"

"Hey! You try navigating your way through a top secret base with a splitting headache" Swift hissed back.

Aqualad was quite surprised that she wasn't spitting fire already.

"Shh" Superboy turned around "Listen" he whispered.

They all stopped and listened. They heard clanging and scraping of claws on metal.

Swift consulted her computer again.

"There should be a trap door above a corridor…here!" she stepped aside and Robin pulled it open. They hopped down onto the floor below Robin throwing a cement pellet onto the door to seal it.

"We'll keep watch on the hall… and the door" Aqualad said quickly facing said door "You and Robin work on hacking all of the sensors and cameras"

"Way ahead of you" Swift and Robin had already plugged their holo computers into the main power and were typing away at their top speeds.

After about a minute or so they both whooped in delight. The others who'd been looking around the corridor turned sharply to face them.

"We hacked the motion sensors!" Robin grinned gleefully.

"Sweet!" Kid Flash grinned

"Yeah but there's still plenty of them between us" Swift pointed to all of them "and out" she jerked her thumb up to the ceiling.

"But I've finally got room to move" Kid pulled down his goggles and sped through the doors.

Normally by now Swift would've sighed with exasperation, but at this moment in time she was too thrilled with the possibility of escaping this godforsaken place once and for all to really feel angry. Besides stairs were Kid's speciality, especially since his speed could knock out potential threats along the way.

She followed the others up the long flights of stairs. It was a hard slog for her. Even with Batman's extensive training Swift could feel the toll of her injuries as they impeded on her speed causing her to be last in the line. She heard snarls behind them.

"There are more behind us" she called up ahead. Superboy stopped ahead of her. He stomped his foot down and the floor trembled violently. Swift stumbled but Super boy caught her arm and dragged her onto the landing just as the staircase she'd just been climbing on crumpled taking all the genomorphs down with it.

"GO!" he shoved her forwards so that she ran ahead now between himself and Robin who stopped a flight of stairs above them. He grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stairs. Superboy stayed behind them occasionally catching Swift if she stumbled and pushing her upwards back towards Robin.

"Sorry" she panted after the tenth flight. She'd stumbled for the fifth time now.

"Just keep going" Superboy urged, and Swift thought she heard a tinge of gentle concern in his usually gruff voice.

They managed to make it up five more levels and Swift saw Kid Flash go through an exit.

"Finally" she managed a smile as she read the sign  _Sub Level 1._

Suddenly the lights in the place turned red and an irritating alarm began to beep on and off.

"Brilliant!" Robin mumbled as he, Swift, Aqualad and Superboy ran into a corridor as up ahead Kid Flash collided with a pair of solid doors.

Swift let out a surprisingly feral howl of frustration at the doors that caused Superboy and Robin to jump away from her in alarm.

"We're cut off from the street" Aqualad was also sounding quite pissed off now.

"Thanks my head hadn't noticed" Kid mumbled darkly standing up as Superboy and Aqualad tried to muscle the door open. But even their combined super strength wasn't enough.

Robin's fingers were dancing away at his holographic keyboard but it was taking too long.

"Can't you hack this fast enough?" Swift cried out in panic as she heard the thuds of the genomorph trolls as they thudded around the corner.

"I'm working on it!" Robin groaned at his screen.

"Well working on it is not enough!" Swift yelled angrily running to a panel in the wall and delivering a powerful sidekick.

"Oh crap. She's really pissed now!" Robin gulped as he saw the panel fly away making a hole in the wall.

"This way! GO! GO! GO!" She yelled at all of them. The boys rushed through and she followed. The ran through a couple more corridors before they all were forced stopped.

"What the hell are you-" Swift's yell faltered as she looked around. They were surrounded by genomorphs led by Guardian. Swift's eyebrows twitched.

Robin knew this meant that she was about to explode from the stress. The genomorph's horns glowed and the five teenagers prepped themselves for a fight, but it was all in vain.

Swift felt her mind go blank as she and the other's toppled to the floor.

The horned talking genomorph stepped forward.

_Perhaps for the sake of all genomorphs, our brother Superboy should make up his own mind._

Superboy's eyes snapped open as sudden realisation hit him

_It was you…_

_Yes brother._

It replied calmly.

_I set the fire, and lured your new friends right into Cadmus. Woke them when they were in danger._

_And guided me, why?_

Superboy looked up confused. The genomorph looked down on him sternly.

_Because you are our hope. The genomorph hero. You will blaze a trail for all our brothers, showing us the way to freedom._

The little G-gnome on Guardian's shoulder's horns glowed again and the human shook his head.

"What's going on?"

Superboy stood up.

_What is your choice brother?_

Superboy paused.

"I…choose…freedom!" he looked the genomorph full in the face.

"Feel's…like fog…lifting" Guardian held his head as he mumbled.

As he spoke the other sidekicks stirred. Swift sat up from her place beside Robin, who placed his arms around her shoulders as they Aqualad and Kid Flash stood up.

"Guardian?" Aqualad addressed the older hero who nodded towards them

"Go," he ordered "I'll deal with Desmond"

"I think not!" a voice behind Guardian snarled.

The Genomorphs stepped back and they all saw Desmond standing there, fury etched all over his face. He was holding a test tube in his hands and it was filled with a light blue luminous liquid.

"Please don't tell me he plans to drink that?" Swift whispered so that only Robin could hear.

"Probably" he muttered and Swift felt his arms around her tighten ever so slightly.

"Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus" Desmond popped open the tube and poured the strange substance down his mouth.

Swift held her breath as Guardian backed up so that he was now standing defensively before all of them.

There was a pause. And then suddenly Desmond lurched forward grunting in pain. His muscles twitched convulsively as he fell onto all fours.

Muscles bulged from where there had just been none. The skin pulled tight around the bulging features.

Swift's breath which she'd been holding in came out as a petrified squeak as the skin around Desmond's face actually tore, revealing a grey harder under skin. She held onto Robin's chest like a lifeline as the monster in front of them roared as he stood up.

Desmond huffed, grinning with terrible razor sharp teeth as he looked down at his claw like hands, the remainders of his human skin hung pathetically over his face and shoulders.

"Everyone back!" Guardian yelled before rushing towards Desmond who swatted him away as easily as if he were a fly. He hit the wall and fell in a heap.

Superboy was next. Thanks to his super strength he was much luckier than Guardian, but not by much. He too was thrown down. But he stood up. He leapt into the air attempting to land an aerial attack but Desmond saw him and grinning madly the monster man jumped up to meet his opponent. They crashed through the ceiling.

Swift tore herself away from Robin to look through the hole.

"Ok that's one way to bust through the ceiling" Robin said grinning at her. Swift finally managed to smile. If Robin could pull himself together, so could she.

The two of them pulled out their grapple guns and fired them into the ceiling of the floor above, each grabbing one of Kid Flash's arms.

"You think Lab Coat planned that?" he asked as the three of them shot through the ceiling

"I doubt he is planning anything anymore" Aqualad said quietly as he jumped through the hole.

No sooner had he landed, Desmond had grabbed Superboy by the knees and swung him towards them.

"DUCK!" Swift yelled but Aqualad was too slow.

He and Superboy rolled over the hole in the floor and landed close to what appeared to be a secretaries desk.

The others rushed forwards helping the two up before turning to face Desmond who was still grinning madly.

Swift reached into her belt and pulled out a pair of spiked knuckle dusters which she fitted on each hand. She rarely used them when on missions. Batman was adamant that she and Robin learn to not use weapons aside from their own brains and bodies, but this was an emergency.

They ran forwards to meet their opponent. Kid Flash was first running under Desmond's legs just as Aqualad and Superboy did a combo punch to the face. KF kneeled on all fours and Desmond tripped.

"Learned that one in kindergarten" he said smugly.

Robin leapt up behind him and threw his birdarangs. Desmond dodged them both by rolling over, but that was a huge mistake as Swift silently moved herself in front of him and landed a hit on his face. The spikes managed to make a small scratch on his cheek but that was it.

She geared herself for a second punch aiming her spiked index knuckle for his eye but Desmond threw her aside. She landed on her feet luckily and was able to charge Desmond after he'd taken down Superboy. Kid and Aqualad got there before her however and both were knocked down.

Desmond pinned Aqualad to a pillar and began bashing the Atlantian against it. Swift felt the floor quake and bits of debris fell from the rafters.

A tug on her arm and Robin dragged her back into the shadows.

"What the? Robin!" she hissed but Robin glared at her as he opened up his holo computer again. A holographic image appeared of the four support pillars.

Swift gasped in understanding. "Hey KF get over here!" she called seeing the speedster stir on the ground. He looked up at her and Robin confused before speeding over.

As he arrived Desmond broke one of the support structures bases with Superboy's body. The damaged portion flashed red as text appeared next to it saying  _Damage, Structural Compromise_

"Got it!" Robin called

"Got it" Swift and KF ran in the same direction. Swift struck first and as Desmond looked at her Kid hit him. They both landed next to each other as Kid Flash held up what appeared to be the remainder of a nose.

"Got your nose" he said as Swift blew a large raspberry. Desmond roared and flung Superboy, who had been about to get crushed, down onto the floor. He ran after KF and Swift, the latter's girlish giggles echoing eerily around the walls.

"Come on booger breath you can do better than that!" she called out to Desmond as she somersaulted over his head. He tried snapping his hands to catch her.

"No! Come and get me you incredible bulk!" Kid Flash called out before tripping over his own feet.

"KID!" Swift yelled. She flung a smoke pellet at Desmond as the monster ran towards her friend. He turned heel and ran towards her instead. Swift readied herself to spring away but a flash of red and yellow and Kid had dragged her before she could move.

"Hey!" she cried out in his arms "Can't a girl have a little fun?"

"You save my life, I save yours. We're square!" Kid Flash winked

"That and you need an excuse for Batman so he won't kick your butt when he finds us here after we disobeyed him" Swift smirked as they slid onto a puddle Aqualad had made over Robin's chalk X.

"Yeah that too" Kid admitted as Superboy leapt up from behind them and hit the monster in the face. He thudded to the floor as Aqualad pressed his palms into the puddle.

Instantly his tattoos glowed blue and lighting sparked around his arms. Swift and Kid Flash leapt out of the puddle just in time as Desmond writhed and shrieked in pain.

"Move!" Robin yelled. Swift looked up and saw the tops of the pillars, Robin's birdarangs beeping in each of them.

Then…

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

They all ran for the exit as the ceiling began to fall. It crashed down on Desmond who collapsed under its weight. The building kept on collapsing around them.

"Take cover!" Kid Flash yelled over the rumble and crashes around them. Robin grabbed Swift, Kid grabbed Robin, and he was covered by Aqualad and Superboy who crouched over them just as the first giant piece of rubble came down upon them

* * *

**Hall of Justice, Washington D.C., July 5, 00:25 EDT, 2010**

The entire Justice League entered the library in the Hall of Justice only to find it dark, cold and empty.

"Hello! Wally? Robin? Swift? Aqualad?" The Flash called out. No response.

"Maybe they're in another room?" Green Arrow suggested. "They might have decided to explore a bit. Maybe we should split up and check"

"Why don't you try your coms first?" Wonder Woman suggested.

"That would be a more logical idea" the robotic voice of Red Tornado agreed.

"Don't bother they aren't here." Batman's gruff voice spoke up suddenly in the dark. Flash squeaked like a mouse and zipped behind the closest person he could find, which turned out to be Martian Manhunter. He now spoke in a calm voice.

"Batman is right. I cannot find the children anywhere in the Hall."

"What do you mean" Aquaman sounded worried.

"Swift, Kid Flash's and Aqualad's presences are outside the hall but are still within the city so they are very faint. But that also means they're too far for me to establish a mental link. I cannot locate them at present" the Martian sounded worried too now.

"Speaking of location, Batman where the hell are you?" Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) sounded irritated

"He's next to the computer" Superman had used his X-ray vision and found the stooping figure of the Bat himself hunched over the computer keyboard. A few taps later and the screen came to life illuminating the room with its light blue data streams flowing on the monitor.

Batman's eyes narrowed and he actually sighed in exasperation as he checked his pocket. He pulled out a small device and clicked a button. It bleeped red.

"What is it?" Superman's eyes widened as Batman's hand balled into fist before he slammed it down on the table hard.

The Justice leaguers all jumped in alarm.

"Those kids…" he growled "I'll ground them for a month!"

….

"So" the Flash peeped out from behind Martian Manhunter to stare at the now very angry bat "You found them?"

"They are at Cadmus" Batman barely managed to keep himself just growling and not yelling.

His colleagues all took a few steps back from him nervously.

"Lets go!" he barked.

"Wow he's pissed" Green Arrow breathed under his breath. The other leaguers murmured softly in agreement.

Pissed! No! Batman wasn't pissed, he was furious! Furious and dreadfully worried, in the way that only a parent could get.

He'd told them to stay put. He told Robin and Swift to stay there in the Hall, until he and the league had finished their job. And what did they do? They'd hacked Justice League files together. Swift had hijacked the Batmobile AGAIN! She knew she wasn't supposed to (Especially after the events of last week)! They'd both gone to Cadmus where that crazy organisation, the Light, would probably find them, torture them, and use them for their own horrible deeds against the League. Against him! Anybody who'd fought with all three of them together would know that Batman wouldn't dare hurt his kids nor put them in danger if there was no reasonable chance of survival. No matter how he tried to hide behind the cowl it was easy for everyone to see that they, his kids, always came first to him.

And if, by some fantastic miracle, they were alright…

Oh when he got his kids back, and he would by hell or high water, they would be in serious trouble.

Batman stood in Green Lantern's green bubble along with the other mentors, who all were standing away from him, terrified by his dark aura.

Superman, who'd been flying beside them to keep an eye on Batman, stopped mid flight.

"What is it?" Batman snapped. He wanted to get to Cadmus fast and he didn't want the Blue Boy Scout slowing them down.

"I thought I heard a…" Superman's eyes widened in horror.

"Clark!" Green Arrow cried out as Superman took off again this time speeding ahead of Wonder Woman who'd been in front of the entire league.

* * *

**Project Cadmus, Washington D.C., July 5, 00:33 EDT, 2010**

A large mass of rubble was lying where there had once been a building. One particular spot of rubble was moving.

Finally a large piece of cement flew up into the air and a large masculine arm with a white sleeve clawed out and lifted a disk shaped piece of what had once been part of a ceiling.

Superboy flung it away and the others crawled out.

"We…did it" Aqualad huffed grinning widely as he looked back on Swift, Robin and Kid Flash who were all kneeling on the floor huffing but they too had bright grins on their face.

"Was there…ever any doubt" Robin huffed as he and Kid Flash gave a high five. They winced straight afterwards.

"You idiots" Swift laughed breathlessly before leaning forward and groaning in pain. She felt a chill and several sharp stings against the skin on her back. the portion of her leotard that protected her shoulders and upper back had probably accidently been torn off when the rubble came crashing down on them. Her hair was now loose too, hanging at shoulder length and swishing in the midnight breeze.

"You ok?" Robin asked her quietly

"Am I bleeding?" she panted hoarsely. Now that the effects of the adrenaline in her bloodstream were wearing off the pain in her head returned tenfold. She also realised that her body was aching especially her stomach.

"No they're just scratches" Robin reached out and began rubbing his free hand on her back in smooth circles.

"What about you?" she looked up at Robin. Apart from the bottom of his cape being tattered and him missing a whole sleeve he seemed for the most part unscathed. He grinned goofily at her.

Swift swooned a little and her face turned a very pale green.

"Swift?" Aqualad asked cautiously.

Robin backed away just in time as she lurched forward.

"Whoa girl! Talk about timing!" Kid Sped away in alarm as Swift fell to her knees and spluttered up a huge amount of vomit onto the pavement.

"What's wrong with her?" Superboy asked, his nose wrinkling at the disgusting pungent smell of puke.

"She's just disoriented from her concussion" Robin explained as he came back to Swift's side. He grabbed her hair and pulled it behind her head before taking out from his utility belt a handkerchief he usually kept for picking up evidence from a crime scene.

Once she'd finished retching he dragged her body back so that she was on his lap in his arms. As he wiped her mouth of the puke she pointed up at the sky

"See" She gave a weak smile "the moon"

The moon was large full and bright above them, it's light illuminating their spot completely. The stars around it were twinkling magically.

"It's… beautiful" Superboy murmured quietly in awe.

"It truly is" Aqualad agreed.

Kid Flash glanced back at Swift and Robin on the floor and grinned slyly. Robin was cradling Swift in his arms, his head resting on top of hers as she leaned into his chest. She could hear his heartbeat through his costume. It was peaceful to the touch and the sound of it soothed her nauseating headache.

_Those two._

He thought half amused, half irritated as he turned back to face the moon.

_Smartest teen detectives in the world but the dumbest love struck fools too_

But their peace was short lived as a dark figure appeared in the distance in front of the moon. Swift narrowed her eyes and Robin stiffened as they recognised the red cape.

"Oh and Superman?!" Kid Flash sounded very happily surprised "Do we keep our promises or what?"

Swift's expression darkened as she saw the members of the justice league approach from a distance. Typical Kid. Had to jinx their happiness didn't he?

Superman began to descend along with the other Leaguers, his face full of worry. But that didn't compare to the look on Batman's face as he stepped off of Green Lantern's green energy platform to stand in front of them. He was positively seething.

"We're so screwed" Swift mumbled into Robin's chest. Truth be told she was impressed that Superman could stand next to her mentor at all.

"Yeah. Think you can stand?"

Swift nodded. They rose up Robin keeping his arms wrapped around her just in case she swooned again. Batman and Superman looked down on their charges before looking at Superboy.

Superboy started slightly when he saw his biological "father" look down on him, before he managed a small smile as he lifted up his torn solar suit to reveal the matching red "S" symbol.

Superman's eyes widened in shock, and then turned quickly to disgust. Poor Superboy's hopeful expression died instantly.

"Is that what I think it is?" Batman growled.

"He doesn't like being called an  _it_ " Kid Flash said through gritted teeth.

"I'm Superman's clone" Superboy announced. The other Leaguers murmured in shock and concern.

Batman paid no heed to them and stepped forward backed by Green Arrow, the Flash and Aquaman.

"Start talking"

It was Aqualad who did most of the talking, with occasional assistance from Kid Flash. The speedster was quite vocal about his and Swifts performance during the whole taking down Desmond scene.

"So and then Wvoosh! I went past him but I tripped. He was about to grab me when Swift threw her birdarang so Desmond stopped and came after her but she did this cool triple, no wait, quadruple somersault over his head and Desmond was all like, Oo! Oo! Ooh!" Kid waved his arms over his head looking like a slightly crazy monkey, as he reached for an invisible Swift.

"Do you need anything" Aqualad asked quietly looking at Swift who was still being supported by Robin. Kid Flash was too busy finishing the story with many a flourish and Superboy was taking brief glances at Superman who was standing talking quietly with Wonder Woman.

"A bath and some ear plugs" Swift deadpanned. Robin let out a sudden cackle causing Kid Flash to end his story with a loud "eep!"

All the other mentors chuckled until the Bat turned around. They stopped abruptly and looked down at their feet. It was amazing how he sometimes made them feel more like children than adult superheros.

The Dark Knight looked back at the young teenagers in front of him who were all looking sheepish. He nodded briefly before turning back to the other mentors.

"Oh come on we told them everything, what does he want to discuss now?" Kid Flash complained

"He's probably just trying to find out what to do now" Robin sighed.

"He's probably asking whether or not he can ground all six of us" Swift said. "I probably shouldn't have hijacked the Batmobile" she added quietly

Five minutes passed in silence as the five teens stood together.

Eventually Superman approached Superboy who folded his arms in a slightly defensive manner.

"We'll uh…We'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean. For now…I'd better make sure they…get that Blockbuster creature squared away"

_That's it! That's all he has to say to his own…son! The Bloody Douche Bag!_

If she hadn't been feeling so out of it, Swift would have punched Superman in the face. It probably wouldn't make a dent to his skin but it would at least hopefully nock some sense into the Kryptonian. She glared at the Man of Steel as he flew off without another look back at their group

"Cadmus will be investigated …all fifty two levels"

Batman had returned to them. He seemed calmer than before though it would take a long time before he lost all his fury at them.

"But let's make one thing clear"

"You should've called" Flash interrupted but Batman paid him no heed.

"End results aside we're NOT happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, hijacked the batmobile" His eyes narrowed back into slits as he looked at Swift in Robin's arms " and endangered lives. You will  **not**  be doing this  **again**."

The five teens exchanged glances before Aqualad stepped forward.

"I'm sorry, but we  **will** "

"Aqualad stand down" Aquaman commanded sternly at his protégé who gave a small salute of respect.

"Apologies my king, but no. We did good work here tonight. The work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, important"

Flash spoke up "If this is about your treatment at the hall, the four of you-"

"The  _five_  of us" Swift corrected narrowing her eyes back at Batman. She may look like a wreck but she was not going to let Batman stop her and her friends this time.

"And it's not" Kid Flash nodded in agreement.

"Batman we're ready to use what you've taught us or why teach us at all?" Robin also glared at his mentor/father with fierce determination.

"Why let  _them_ tell us what to do!" Superboy stepped forwards with more confidence in his step. "It's simple. Get on board, or get out of the way!"

Batman looked down upon the young heroes in silence. He could feel his anger giving way and quickly being replaced by the more familiar feeling of pride. Pride at their success, pride at their conviction.

"Give me three days" he growled.

"Three days…that isn't so long" Kid shrugged seemingly content with the idea.

"Uh guys?" Robin jerked his thumb at Superboy.

"Robin is right what about Superboy? Where will he go now?" Aqualad looked at their new friend with growing concern. In ideal circumstances, Superman would've been the most logical choice but seeing as the Man of Steel and Boy of Steel didn't get on too well.

Superboy seemed to be thinking this too and so it seemed did Kid Flash.

"Hey Supey" he grinned widely "How about you come stay with me"

"Then it is decided" Batman nodded in approval. Swift was glad. Her mentor had not been too partial to the carefree way of the Speedsters but Kid Flash was capable of making pretty good decisions when the time called for it.

Behind the white lenses of his cowl Batman caught sight of the pool of vomit close by. He then examined them all eventually finding Swift.

His anger and worry had clouded his rational thought so much that he'd barely noticed how pale her face seemed or how large that bruise was on her forehead. It was now turning a deep shade of purple.

Swift knew what her father was looking at and blushed in embarrassment. She probably looked really pathetic right now, puking and getting all weak and woozy in front of the Justice League. She looked back down at the dirt. Oh how she wished she could disappear.

Everyone let out cries of shock. One minute Swift had been in Robin's arms and then quite suddenly she'd vanished into thin air.

Robin jumped away from his spot his head darting from side to side looking wildly for his partner.

"Swift!" He called out flailing his arms around as he tripped slightly over a small stone.

"What the? Where did she go?" Aqualad jumped as all the other mentors jumped into fighting stances reading themselves as if expecting an attack.

Kid Flash began speeding around the ruined sight calling out loudly."Swift! Swift" before he was grabbed by Flash who put his hand over his protégé's mouth.

"Wake up the whole neighbourhood why don't you?" he huffed bringing Kid back to their spot.

Superboy narrowed his eyes and focused on his X-ray vision.

"I can't see her anywhere"

"What do you mean you can't see her?" Robin cried out in panic. If X ray vision couldn't detect her…

"OY! Calm down you idiots!" Swift's voice yelled above the ruckus.

Everyone stopped abruptly.

"Swift?" Batman asked the area at large.

"I'm right here" She huffed, and suddenly she reappeared in their midst. She was standing on her own two feet but was still very pale.

"Ok what the hell just happened?" Kid Flash sounded freaked out. Robin just sighed with relief.

"I don't know…"she mumbled "And I don't want to go through it now!" she barked angrily as her head throbbed again. She shot Batman a warning look and he closed his mouth quickly. Even he knew not to mess with Swift when she was pissed off and exhausted.

He nodded silently. "Fine. Aquaman, Flash escort your protégé's home. Superboy you go with Kid Flash. Robin, Swift to the Batmobile NOW!" he barked as a shadow flew over them, landing just five metres away from where they all stood.

It was a slick, shiny, black armoured with large round tough tyres and a mid grey bat symbol on the bonnet. There was a beep as three of the doors opened automatically.

The bat and his two birds hopped inside, the smallest purple bird falling asleep just as her mentor turned on the ignition.


	4. Episode 2.5 - Tagged

**The Batcave, July 7, 12:06, EDT, 2010**

A dark figure in a dark costume, hunched over slightly in a chair in front of a myriad of glowing computer screens.

He'd had been sitting in front of them for hours; thinking and watching the data streams flit by, occasionally typing in queries if he needed. He was now finishing a government secret file.

The brooding Batman pulled down his cowl to reveal the troubled face of Bruce Wayne. None of the five hundred or so science articles, military reports or even posts online he'd ever read could explain the answer to his question.

He stood up and stretched before looking over his shoulder where a little way away a med bay stood down a few small steps. He smiled in relief when he saw the young girl, who'd been residing in the medical bed, stretch and yawn. As he walked over he watched as she looked around at the giant T-Rex model and bat infested ceiling with mild amusement.

Her dark brown hair was mussed up and her eyes bleary as she reached for a pair of black rimmed glasses to her side. She was wearing a plain royal purple T shirt with light grey track pants. A tinkle of metal could be faintly heard as she picked up a metal dog tag on a thin ball chain from the table beside her.

"G'morning dad!" Christine called without looking up at him as he glided down the steps and towards her.

"Actually it's a good afternoon. How are you feeling?" Bruce eyed her face closely as she clipped the chain around her neck. That nasty bruise on her forehead had become considerably smaller, about the size of small marble, thanks to a special cream the Justice League used to heal their own injuries.

"A hell of a lot better actually" She grinned, sitting Indian style in the bed. "What about you. What you researching?" she eyed the computer screens in the distance.

"'Aircraft Invisibility and Cloaking Advancement Plans'. Sounds like an interesting read" she looked down at her hands, suddenly finding the lines on her palm very fascinating.

"Yes. I was hoping you could explain some of it to me"

Christine briefly looked up and saw that the deep blue eyes of her mentor/father figure were stern and even slightly hurt. She turned over her dog tag so that an inscription on the back could be seen.

_Hallows_

_Stanley Stuart._

_666 -013- 444_

_B Negative_

_No Religious Pref._

"Dad I know I should have told you but… the thing is…I don't really know… "She fiddled with the metal plate her eyes darkening

"Don't really know what?" Bruce's prompted.

Christine sighed "I've always been like this. For as far back as I can remember. I have always been able to do  _this_ "and in the blink of an eye she vanished into thin air. Bruce's eyes widened slightly. This sight would take some getting used to it seemed.

"Have you been using these powers on patrol?" he eyed the moving crinkles in the bed sheets as she seemed to shift.

Christine nodded, and then remembered that she was invisible.

"Yes, I have"

"Do you know if either of your parents was able to do this?"

"Not as far as I know. If my real father did have superpowers, well then he never told or showed me anything and my mum… well" Christine's voice hardened as she said through gritted teeth "who cares what that tart is anyways"

"You should care."

"Why?" she spat

"Because if you have inherited superpowers from her, she might be the only one who'll be able to explain to you how they work"

He still couldn't see her but Bruce knew she was giving him one of her famous venomous glares.

"She  **might** be the one who I inherited the powers from but I want nothing to do with that woman. You know her just as well as I do Dad, she doesn't care for anything but herself and her image and whatever she does value must have a big price tag attached to it. She only gave birth to me because she didn't want the press to give her bad publicity about an abortion, and when my father died she handed me off to you because she couldn't stand me. Give me one reason why I should even consider caring about a person like that!"

Bruce's expression softened as he watched as a small portion of the sheets bunched up together as if held by a tightened fist.

He opened his mouth to speak when soft echoing footfall as Alfred entered the room closely followed by Dick. He was wearing dark skinny jeans and black converse with a blue sweater on top that matched his eyes.

"Where's Chris?" He looked around cautiously just as Christine reappeared on the bed, quickly wiping her eyes which Bruce noticed were pricked with small tears. They weren't noticed since Alfred jumped in surprise. Dick snickered.

"Might I ask what is so amusing Master Dick?" he clipped still a little flustered.

"Nothing Alfred" Dick replied sheepishly.

A smile spread across Christine's face as Alfred set down the tray which she now noticed had a bowl of steaming hot porridge with honey, topped with two small cinnamon sticks, with a plate of toast and glass of orange juice beside it.

"Food!" it came out as half a hungry growl as she picked up her spoon and immediately began eating.

"You sound like Wally." Dick smirked

"Whatever food is food!" Christine took three huge gulps from the glass of orange juice.

Hey Bruce," Dick looked up at his mentor with an expectancy. Bruce sighed knowing exactly what his ward wanted to ask.

"You were wondering if I have I will be making you two and your friends into a team"

"Doesn't matter does it? Even if you or the League don't allow it Bruce, I'll still find a way to make the five of us a team"

Christine looked up from her food to see her brother looking up at the dark haired man in with fierce determination.

Bruce now turned to her.

"Christine. As Swift what is your opinion? Do you support Robin on this?"

Christine swallowed a mouthful of porridge.

"Bruce when I became Swift you told me that the Justice League was an organised alliance for the heroes of earth, that it was a team in its own right. It has been four years since, and the League has faced some near disastrous circumstances. Not all its members are immortal and none of them are incapable of dying."

"So are you agreeing with me or not?" Dick eyed her oddly.

"I'm saying that one day even the Batman won't be able to do the hero gig forever. Eventually the responsibilities of the Justice League will have to be passed on to a new generation. When that time comes it will be good to have a contingency plan… a legacy. The five of us sidekicks, we are that legacy, or at least we are the start of it. As Swift I think…I think that this team is necessary for the survival of the League"

"Since when did you start becoming such a wise sage" Dick grinned. Swift blushed slightly with embarrassment and her head turned invisible.

Bruce and Alfred exchanged glances.

"Alfred, send a group message to the rest of the League that Batman has confirmed and approved the creation of a new team and that all available League Members are to meet at Mount Justice. Also" Bruce had to raise his voice slightly to be heard over Dicks loud whoops of joy "send personal messages to the other mentors, not including Green Arrow, that they are to meet us at Mount Justice tomorrow at eight o'clock in the morning with the other protégé's plus Superboy. "

Christine's grin vanished.

"What's up Chris? Aren't you happy?" Dick was still grinning

"'Not including Green Arrow' ?" she repeated "So Roy is still mad with Ollie?"

"Yes." Bruce shook his head his face grave "Roy left Oliver's apartment the very night he quit. We believe he might be using one of the old storage facilities in Star City as a base until he can rent a place of his own."

"So he is actually going solo? For real?" Dick's excitement faded a little. Bruce nodded.

"Yes. Roy is eighteen years old and a legal adult. You two on the other hand are still thirteen." He narrowed his eyes at his two kids who exchanged nervous glances "There will be living quarters at Mount Justice for your team mates who don't have residences. You can also choose your own rooms just in case you two should wish to stay overnight for a couple of days  **but**  otherwise I still expect you to come home on time, especially when school starts. There will be more than enough time to socialise with your team mates. Now why don't you two go upstairs whilst I continue work?"

"If it's a case you're working on why don't we help you out now?" Dick asked.

Bruce sighed. "No it's alright, I'm just updating the cave's software. You two go upstairs and have some fun" he turned on his heel before heading back to the cave computer.

"So…what have you been up to?" Christine asked swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"Well I was playing Lord of the Rings: War in the North before I came down but I'm stuck on a level, wanna hook up a controller and help me out?"

"Maybe in a bit, I need a bath, plus gotta text Freddy and find out how his mom's doing in hospital"

"How come Freddy's mom's in hospital" Dick asked curiously as they walked up a small flight of steps that they knew led to a secret door behind the grand piano.

"When we were on our way to catch Freeze, Freddy texted me and told me that his mom went into labour"

"Ouch! Ok well tell him I said hello and I'm giving her my full support. Having siblings is tricky business especially if they're girls" he quickly ducked out of sight as Christine aimed a swipe at him.

"Boy Wonder you get back here right now!" She yelled as Dick leapt away his happy cackles echoing around the large manor.

* * *

**Mount Justice, July 8, 08:00, EDT, 2010**

_Recognised Batman 02, Robin B01, Swift B02_

Batman stepped out of the Zeta tube followed by Dick and Christine.

They were both in civilian mode. Dick was wearing black converse, black skinny jeans and a black jacket over a red sweater with slim dark shades obscuring his eyes.

"Sweet! We get our own designation numbers" he hissed excitedly.

She too wore shades though hers were clipped on the front of her normal reading glasses. She wore a purple tank top underneath a cropped black hoody, small black shorts and purple converse wedged high heels, making her the same height as Dick. Her hair was tied back in a bun, not as high or as neat as when on patrol but presentable nonetheless.

She smirked at Dick's antics with amusement as he excitedly pointed out that one of the Green Lanterns was fixing the roof.

She might not have shown it but she too was very excited to be here. She couldn't believe her luck that Batman had actually agreed to do this for them.

Batman led his two partners to the centre of the room where Red Tornado stood waiting as Hawkeman swooped down carrying an unidentifiable piece of equipment.

"Hello Batman" the red android greeted metallically "Hello Robin, Swift" he turned his head to the partners who smiled running to the centre of the hall.

"Hello Red Tornado" Swift waved

"How's it hanging Red?" Robin called cheerily

"How's what hanging?" even though Red Tornado's voice was monotone Christine could still sense the confusion.

"He's just asking how you are." She smirked at Dick's embarrassed expression.

"I am very well thank you"

"Oh good Batman you're here!" a feminine voice called from across the room.

Red Tornado turned just as a woman strode out of a hallway that led off the main hall.

She was beautiful, with long blond hair and a slim yet toned and curvaceous build. She wore a black bustier/leotard over a pair of grey stockings and heavy black calf length boots, matching her black fingerless gloves. To complete the ensemble she wore a blue jacket and a black choker around her neck. She projected an air of confidence, not just as a woman but also as a fighter, as she stopped to stand in front of Batman hands on her hips.

"Hawkewoman and I have finished setting up the gym. The Green Lanterns, are repairing the launch bay and Aquaman, Aqualad and Hawkeman are busy setting up the pool but after that we should be all done"

"Good work. Robin, Swift this is Black Canary. She will be the team's trainer and fighting instructor" Batman stood off to the side to allow Black Canary to see his protégé's.

"So these are the Bat's famous birds, It's good to finally meet the two of you" She smiled at them extending her hand.

Dick took it first, grinning.

"It's nice to meet you too mam"

Black Canary smiled before extending her hand towards Christine who turned invisible.

"Swift is a little shy" Batman said his scowl still prominent but softer. If Canary didn't know any better she would think that the Bat was rather enjoying teasing his partner.

"Am not!" Christine called out indignantly promptly reappearing again. Her cheeks were flushed and she was pouting.

She took Black Canary's hand and shook it. It was a very strong handshake. The older woman chuckled before turning to Batman.

"I don't understand why haven't you brought these two around before?"

Batman was about to respond when the Zeta tube announced

_Recognised Flash 04, Kid Flash B04, Superboy B05_

They all turned to see the Flash exit the Zeta tube followed closely by Kid Flash, also dressed in his civilian form Wally West.

"The Wal-Man has arrived everybody!" He cried out before speeding to stand in front of the two birds.

"Sorry it took so long. It took a while to get these two up and ready." The Flash apologised to Batman who nodded curtly. In truth he wasn't so bothered; he knew what it was like trying to wake up sleepy teenagers in the morning, in fact it had taken him and Dick fifteen whole minutes to convince Christine to even open her eyes.

He watched interestedly as Dick and Wally high fived. Even though he was technically their father he'd rarely had the chance to see how his kids interacted with their friends. He watched as Wally approached Christine.

"Say how's the head babe? Don't try to hide it. If it still feels bad I could…I don't know kiss it better" Wally swung an arm around Christine and looked at the still slightly red spot on her forehead.

She leaned away, but smirked in amusement all the same. Wally was a flirt but she knew he never really meant what he said to her. But that didn't stop the territorial snarl that had crept over Dick's and the Batman's faces.

Wally's grin faded quickly at the sight and chills over his shoulders before speeding off, dragging Superboy towards the group.

The clone boy had switched his solar suit for a black T shirt with a red "S" symbol, a pair of dark blue pants held by a buckle and black combat boots.

"Hey Superboy how're you doing?" Dick nodded.

"Fine" Superboy grunted quietly folding his arms. He kind of reminded Christine of a grumpy kitty.

"Ah you're all here now" came a new voice. They all turned to see Aquaman, Hawkeman and Aqualad stride into the room.

"Hey Aqualad!" Wally called out happily waving.

Christine was surprised to see that the young Atlantian wasn't wearing his uniform. Instead he wore a dark blue jacket with a high neck and faded blue jeans with sneakers.

He nodded smiling as he strode over to the other teens.

"Hello. It is good to see you all again." He turned towards Christine "I see that you're recovering well from your injuries"

"It'll take more than a bump on the head to stop me Aqualad. Only a day or so and the mark should be completely gone" Christine smiled.

"Hey! Speaking of completely gone," Wally now looked at Christine strangely "What the hell was that disappearing act all about?"

Christine scratched the back of her head nervously and the others jumped.

"Oh sorry" she muttered turning visible again. She looked up at their faces. All of them, except for Batman, Dick, Red Tornado and Black Canary, were looking at her in surprise "I …kinda have…a superpower"

"Since when!" Wally cried out.

"Since forever" she mumbled

"And you never told us?" Wally seemed to deflate a little. He looked towards Dick who shrugged.

"You never asked" Christine smirked and the room's atmosphere lightened a little.

Batman cleared his throat. All teens stood to line up in front of the striding dark figure.

"This cave was the original secret sanctuary for the Justice League. We're calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms. Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor, Black Canary's in charge of training.  **I** will deploy you on missions"

"Real missions" Dick asked hopefully.

"Yes but  _covert_ "

"The League will still handle the obvious stuff" the Flash stepped forwards and pointed to the yellow lightning bolt on his chest "There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests"

Aquaman nodded before adding gravely "But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly"

_Dude I was born sly_

Swift's smirk grew a little.

"The six of you will be that team"

"Cool…wait six" Dick's chuckle gave way to confusion as footsteps became audible behind them.

They all turned to see Martian Manhunter walk into the light accompanied by another figure. This one was female, physically no older than sixteen years old. She too had green skin but had a head of long full bodied red hair, red lips and amber coloured eyes. She wore a white top with a red X on it along with a short blue cape and matching blue skirt, gloves and boots.

"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian" Batman said quietly.

"Hi" Miss Martian gave a shy wave.

"Finally another girl" Christine grinned with enthusiasm before skipping up to the Martian girl.

"The name's Swift, it's nice to meet you Miss Martian." she held out her hand towards the Martian girl.

"It's nice to meet you too"

They shook hands smiling at each other.

Behind them Batman all, exhaled slightly heavily. He was relieved. Being the only girl in a household of males, Christine had a little trouble getting along with other girls. But she genuinely seemed to take a liking to Miss Martian straight away. Perhaps it was the fact that the Martian girl was  _different_  to the rest of the other human girls.

"Now we have two super powered babes on this team? Liking this gig more every minute" Wally muttered to the other boys before stepping forwards.

"Uh…Welcome aboard, I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Aqualad. It's cool if you forget their names"

"Dude totally not cool!" Dick cried out indignantly.

Christine shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Don't mind those two. They're always like this"

Miss Martian giggled.

"I'm honoured to be included"

Aqualad, Dick and Wally stepped forwards and began introducing themselves to their new teammate. Christine peered around their group.

"Hey Superboy!" she called to the clone who stood behind them, unsure of what to do. "Come meet Miss M." She smiled kindly and Superboy's posture relaxed a little as he stepped forwards.

As he approached the Martian's white shirt and blue cape, transformed into a black T-shirt with the red X.

"I…like your T-shirt" Miss Martian looked up at Superboy, smiling shyly.

There was a pause and then Superboy gave her a small smile.

_Aww! These two are going to be so cute together!_

Christine was squealing in her head. She and Dick exchanged grins as the latter elbowed Superboy smirking, just as Wally sped to put an arm around the other shoulder.

Superboy's smile widened slightly as did Aqualad who put a hand on Christine's other shoulder before saying proudly.

"Today  _is_  the day"


	5. Episode 3 - Welcome to Happy Harbour

**Star city, July 17, 23:51 EDT, 2010**

"Who's there?"

A tall male Caucasian with red hair and wearing a red tunic with yellow belt, quiver, gloves and boots growled. The white lenses of his domino mask were now slits as he glared. His hands tensed around his red bow and arrow poised to shoot at a dark figure who he could sense was standing in the shadows behind a few crates.

"Show yourself! NOW!" he barked

It shifted a little before finally stepping out into the light. It had the figure of a girl in her early teens but she was dressed in a black body suit under a purple leotard. Her brown hair was tied in a super neat bun and her eyes were covered by a domino mask just like his.

"Oh it's you" the young man lowered his bow putting the arrow back in his quiver. "What are you doing here?"

"Do I need to have an agenda to visit you, my dear friend Roy Harper?" She pouted folding her arms

"Don't pull the innocent routine with me Christine. I know why you're here" Roy snapped as he went over to a crate and kicked it open to reveal a stock of food. "Dick and Wally are idiots if they think that they can get you to bat your puppy eyes and magically make me join your-"

"Magic Puppy eyes? Oh please Roy. If I really wanted to bring you back to Mount Justice I would have chosen a much quicker way to do so." she snagged a small protein bar from the crate Roy was rummaging.

"Hey!" he called out trying to snatch it back but she quickly dodged him.

"Don't be so stingy! I've just been helping ' _daddy dearest_ ' finish saving hostages from Two Face's hold up at the Templeton's Charity Ball! Of course I'm hungry" she glared at Roy.

Roy glowered back. Then he noticed a rather large package on her lap.

"What's that for?" he asked eyeing it suspiciously.

"A present"

"For who?"

"For you"

Christine swallowed her mouthful and smiled up at Roy who looked rather shocked.

"Here take it" she handed him the package.

He opened it cautiously. Inside were a lot of materials folded neatly.

"Christine…this…" Roy looked down at the cloths in his hands. There was mostly black with a selection of the primary colours, all made from a tough but flexible material. He eyed the red one in particular.

"They're for a new uniform" Christine smiled. She knew he'd like the red. It was after all, his favourite colour

"You'll have to fetch your own protective padding and straps for your gear but you could probably find them all in here." She pointed around at all the small wooden crates that surrounded them

"I'm also guessing you're going to drop the guise of Speedy, that's if you're really serious about going solo"

"Of course I'm serious! Chris-"

"Don't thank me just yet. Here" she tossed him something and he deftly caught it. It was a set of keys and a small ear com which Roy immediately put in his ear.

"I figured you'd chuck out your old com already, so I picked you a new one. The keys on the other hand lead to113 Darcy Street, Apartment no.9 third floor. It's not as huge as Oliver's place but it's close to the subway and there's a hidden Zeta tube in an adjacent alleyway. It's hidden in an old phone booth. The apartment has been bought in your name so you won't have to bother about rent but you'll have to get a job to pay the bills. There's also an old storage facility hidden beneath the build-"

Christine stopped short as Roy stepped forwards and hugged her tight. The gifts he'd been holding were sitting neatly on the floor.

"Thank you" he muttered. There was a short silence.

"Who are you and what have you done with Roy Harper?" she giggled into his tunic bringing her smaller arms around his waist. Roy chuckled.

"No really I'm serious" he squeezed her tighter. "Everyone else has just been trying to convince me to go back to Ollie or join your 'Junior Justice league'. They think I'm a kid who's not ready. You're the first one that's…err…"

"Given my blessing?" Christine suggested feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. "But I'm worried too. It feels like I'm watching my big brother leave home."

"You're my little sister huh? That's a scary thought. Just kidding! Kidding! You're a great kid Chris. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Roy ruffled her hair. Christine sniffled.

"Good luck Roy. I really hope you make it"

"Don't worry I will."

They stayed like that for a while, hugging until a small beeping noise could be heard. They broke apart and Christine checked her holo computer as she wiped her eyes.

"It's midnight" she sighed "Gotta get back home before Dick gets worried about where I am"

"Aren't you more worried about Bruce?" Roy gulped. After the way he'd treated her at the Hall of Justice he wouldn't be surprised if Christine's  _'daddy'_  had put a huge price on his head.

"Knowing him he probably knows already. But he won't dare to intervene… not if he doesn't want me to hijack the bat plane next" she hopped over a crate making her way towards a zeta tube.

"You are one scary chick you know" Roy shook his head.

"How so" she looked back at him as she approached the tube in the numbers.

"Because you have Batman and Robin dangling around your fingers"

Christine raised her eyebrows "Roy, I don't dangle men around my fingers"

"Yeah sure you don't" Roy snorted.

"No!" she smiled shaking her head "they just cling there of their own accord"

They both laughed as Christine typed in the coordinates for the Bat Cave.

Just as she was finishing Roy called out.

"Christine"

"Yeah" she turned to look at him as the tube began energising.

"About what I said at the Hall…I'm sorry"

"It's OK! Just forget about it! Just be sure to use your gift's wisely or else!" She called over the whirring sounds of the teleporter. She winked at her friend who grinned back as a yellow light consumed her form.

**Mount Justice, July 18, 11:16 EDT, 2010**

**_Recognised Robin B01, Swift B02, Kid Flash B03_ **

The three sidekicks stepped out of the Zeta tube. Christine walked in between, Dick on her left and Wally on her right, both her arms linked with one of theirs. They were all in civilian clothes.

Robin was in his usual black skinny jeans, black jacket and black shades but with a green sweater. Wally wore a red shirt over a light yellow T shirt, a pair of loose blue jeans and sneakers.

Christine wore a slightly oversized fuchsia coloured hoody dress with the faded number 01 printed in white over the front over a pair of black leggings and fitted black boots. Like before she wore her detachable shades over her reading glasses and her hair was tied in a loose bun.

She smiled as she spotted Superboy, Miss Martian and Aqualad standing in the centre of the main hall observing a holographic map. The three pals unlinked arms and ran over to their friends.

Upon hearing their footfalls Aqualad turned and smiled at the teams youngest members. He was wearing his usual high collared dark blue jacket over a pair of dark pants. Superboy was in his usual Black Superman T-shirt and blue pants but was wearing a dark brown leather jacket on top. Miss Martian was wearing a white shirt with a pinkish red camisole and matching skirt, a headband pulling her red hair back.

"Did you ask him?"

"What did he say?"

Christine, Wally and Dick were positively bouncing with excitement.

"He's arriving now" Aqualad turned away from the screen.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Christine smiled widely running towards a wall. As she did the ceiling folded down to reveal a grass covered ramp and a woody terrain beyond. The other's followed excitedly as a red swirling mass announced the arrival of a red android in a blue cape.

"Red Tornado!" Wally called out waving enthusiastically as the hero landed.

"Greetings" he said mechanically "is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?"

"We thought you had a mission for us" Aqualad said. Everyone gave Red Tornado hopeful looks.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility"

"But it's been over a week" Dick cried out slightly exasperatedly. Christine nodded taking a spot beside her brother.

"Yeah and so far nothing-"

"You will be tested soon enough" Red Tornado put his hand up calmly "for the time being simply enjoy each other's company"

"This  _team_  is not a social club" Aqualad narrowed his eyes.

"No" the android agreed pointing to them all "But I am told social interaction is an important team building exercise. Perhaps you can keep yourselves busy by familiarising yourselves with the cave?" he strode through them towards the cave entrance.

Wally and Dick exchanged glares.

"Keep busy" the speedster huffed folded his arms.

"Does he think we're falling for this?" Dick looked at Christine. She just shrugged.

"oh oh! I'll find out!" Miss Martian jumped excitedly before turning to look at Red Tornado as he almost made his way to the bottom of the ramp.

After a moment or two he passed through the computer scanner.

"I-I'm sorry." Miss Martian mumbled "I forgot he's a machine…inorganic. I cannot read his mind"

"Nice try though" Christine smiled just as Wally pushed past her to stand with the Martian girl.

"So you know what I'm thinking right now?" he leaned into her smirking.

"Pff! We all know what you're thinking now" Dick rolled his eyes behind his shades elbowing the red haired speedster.

"Ow! Swift!" he complained loudly as Dick continued elbowing his back.

"What do you take me for your nanny? Grow some balls before I knock your heads together."

Superboy eyed Christine as she narrowed her eyes which caused Dick and Wally to cringe away in fear. He then remembered the way her temper had snapped back at CADMUS. For someone who appeared small and delicate (especially when compared to his height and build) she was surprisingly terrifying and feisty. But thankfully she hadn't gotten angry with him yet and, super clone or not, he preferred to keep it that way.

"And now we tour the clubhouse" Aqualad still sounded rather irritated.

"Well" Miss Martian piped in trying to sound chirpy "Superboy and I live here. We can play tour guides"

"Don't look at me" Superboy grumbled folding his arms.

"We won't" Wally put himself between Christine and Miss Martian slinging both arms around the two of them "a private tour sounds much more fun"

"She never said it was going to be private" Dick snapped and Wally smirked at him.

"Team building" Aqualad intervened as Wally opened his mouth to retort "We'll all go"

As Miss Martian began escorting them inside Christine discretely kept watch on Dick. She was very amused to see that his scowl deepened every time Wally tried flirting with either her or Miss Martian.

Dick was watching her closely. Even though he knew that Wally was only flirting with Christine as a joke, it didn't have to mean he liked it. She caught his eye, glanced at Wally, rolled her eyes before looking back at him mouthing "Save me".

Dick's expression relaxed immediately into a smile, listening as Wally boasted loudly.

"It was hollowed out by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League."

"So why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" Superboy asked curiously.

"The cave's secret location was…compromised" Aqualad explained as they looked over a large pond in the bottom of the cave.

"So they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yeah. That makes sense" Superboy snorted.

"If villains know of the cave we must be on constant alert" Miss Martian looked worriedly at Christine who nodded thoughtfully

"The bad guys know we know that they know about the cave so they'll never think to look here" Dick swooped in, smoothly detaching Christine from Wally and slinging an arm around her waist.

"He means we're hiding in plain sight" Wally huffed as Dick smirked triumphantly.

Superboy sniffed the air.

"I smell smoke" he announced. Christine sniffed too.

"Yeah something's burning?"

"My Cookies!" Miss Martian cried out in alarm flying off down a side passage.

The rest of the team followed her down a couple of hallways till they reached what appeared to be a common room. On one side was a large television with plush comfy green chairs seated around a glass coffee table and a few game consoles. On the opposite side was a kitchen with state of the art appliances and a white marble island in the centre with bar stools.

Christine knew that Batman must have designed this space or at least bought most of the stuff in it. It had his signature style of aesthetic simplicity mixed with extreme functionality. Currently that last factor was being tested by a large plume of dark smog issuing from the oven in the kitchen.

They all entered as Miss Martian used her telekinesis to take a tray, laden with burnt crumbly disks, out of the oven.

"I was trying out Granny Jones' recipe from episode seventeen of…uh huh never mind" she smiled nervously.

Christine looked down at the cookies and sniffed again. Now that she was closer she could catch a whiff of…

"Hmm is that chocolate?" she asked, eyes sparkling. Miss Martian nodded.

"They're supposed to be Choc Chip" she looked down timidly

"I bet they would've tasted great"

"Yeah he doesn't seem to mind" Dick added jerked his thumb at Wally who was already stuffing his face.

He paused in his gormandising. "I…have a serious metabolism"

Christine shook her head.

"I'll…make more?" Miss Martian suggested hopefully

"It was sweet of you to make any" Aqualad nodded.

"Thanks Aqualad"

"We're off duty. Call me Kaldur'ahm." The Atlantian then smiled "Actually my friends call me Kaldur"

"I'm Wally" Wally leaned over the counter smirking "See I already trust you with my secret ID, unlike Mr. Dark glasses and Miss Invisible babe over there. Batman's forbidden Boy and Girl Wonder from telling anyone their secret ID's. But it's not so bad, besides… I like a girl with mystery" he winked at Christine who rolled her eyes behind her glasses.

"DUDE quit flirting with my sister!" Dick cried out irritably.

"Mine's no secret," Megan giggled at Dick's face. "It's M'gann M'orzz. But you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name and I'm on Earth now"

Superboy didn't say anything, but Christine saw his face darken as he turned to walk out silently. That was until he turned around and yelled at Megan.

"Get out of my HEAD!"

Christine winced at the volume of his voice.

_With a yell like that he could give Black Canary a run for her money. Urghhh._

Christine and everyone clutched their heads in alarm as M'gann's voice echoed eerily in it.

_What's wrong? I don't understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically_

"M'gann stop" Kaldur said sharply and Christine felt the weight of M'gann's mind lift out of hers. "Things are different on Earth. Here your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy"

"Besides, CADMUS's creepy little psychic G-Gnomes left a bad taste in his brain" Wally pointed as he stage whispered to M'gann who was still looking bewildered.

"I-I didn't mean to-"

"Just. Stay. OUT!" Superboy growled before going over to the green lounge and sitting.

_Wow…We really need to work on his people skills_

Christine caught Kaldur's eye and he tilted his head ever so slightly in Superboy's direction. Christine nodded. Maybe when they had a moment the two of them could talk to Superboy quietly and help him out.

"Hello Megan!" M'gann cried out jumping them all out of their silence "I know what we can do"

She flew back into the corridor. Kaldur and Wally both turned to Dick and Christine who both shrugged. They proceeded to walk out. Christine and M'gann lagged behind a little peering around the corner. Superboy was still sitting.

"Superboy…please?" M'gann tried.

"Don't talk to me" he turned away.

Christine saw M'gann look down disappointedly. Christine rolled her eyes and rushed over grabbing Superboy's arm.

He glared up but then paused at the small smile on her face. Christine pulled and Superboy stood up, still avoiding M'gann's eyes as they stepped around the corner.

A short while later the six teenage superheroes had approached the hanger where a red ovoid pod was stationed. It was roughly around the size of a small electrical smart car and was completely solid

"It's my Martian Bio-ship"

Christine walked over to examine it intrigued, wondering if M'gann had to shrink herself to the size of an ant to ride on it.

"uh…Cute" Wally raised his eyebrows "not aerodynamic but cute"

"It's at rest silly" M'gann giggled "I'll wake it"

Christine took a step back as the pod transformed into a large red and black jet like ship.

It turned in mid air so that the back faced them and a door opened smoothly turning into a ramp.

Dick nearly face palmed at the insanely excited grin that had spread across Christine's face.

_I hope Megan has a good security system on this thing or else Chris's going to hijack it every day!_

They all rushed inside as six seats emerged around them.

"Strap in for launch"

"Woah!" Dick cried out and Christine squealed with excitement as seatbelts criss-crossed over their chests snugly.

She looked back in her seat at Dick grinning widely. They were both on the ships right, Christine in the front and Dick in the back. Wally chose to sit on the far left behind Kaldur and Superboy sat centre front

"Red Tornado please open the bay doors" M'gann said clearly as she took the helm at a large seat in the middle of them all. She rested her hands on two light blue globes which had just morphed themselves out of the floor.

The bay doors opened and everyone braced themselves as the Bio Ship took off. Christine gazed out the window, eyes wider than a child on Christmas morning as she looked over the beautiful pristine waters of the harbour.

Christine had always loved being up high in the air. As a child she'd dream about flying. She always loved climbing up to high places, (mainly diving boards above swimming pools) and jumping off just to feel the wind in her hair. It gave her a thrill that being on the ground just couldn't do. Sure she could drive fast vehicles and planes, and swing between rooftops but it wasn't quite the same.

"Wow" she breathed as she looked up at the clouds. They looked like fluffy white cotton candy.

"Incredible!" Dick agreed as he looked out his window.

"She sure is" Wally said dreamily gazing at M'gann.

"Uh…I mean the ship!" Wally back tracked fast when he saw everyone turn towards him "which like all ships is a she"

"Fast with his feet. Not so much with his mouth" Dick smirked devilishly.

"DUDE!" Wally cried out embarrassed.

Christine burst out giggling before turning to look towards Kaldur who caught her eye and quickly glanced forwards at Superboy.

_Of course…_

Christine nodded.

_Superboy must still be upset._

She shifted herself closer as Kaldur leaned and muttered quietly to Superboy.

"We might not have psychic powers but we know what you're thinking. You over reacted and you don't know how to apologise"

When the clone didn't look convinced he looked to Christine.

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "It's really simple, Superboy. You just have to say sorry." She looked at her hand and noticed briefly how tiny it was on his muscled bicep.

She removed it quickly glancing back at Dick who had been watching her hand with a small frown. He caught her eye and his expression faltered. She didn't understand why but she felt slightly guilty, and a need to justify her actions to her surrogate brother bubbled up inside.

Dick saw her guilt and quickly gave what he thought to be an understanding smile before turning to M'gann.

"He'll come around" Dick assured her quietly.

"He doesn't seem to like me much" she mumbled.

"You guys remember he has  _super_ hearing right?" Wally stage whispered. They all looked at Superboy who bristled slightly.

"Hey how about showing us a little Martian shape shifting?" Christine piped up smiling at M'gann who brightened up immediately at the change in subject.

Every one turned around in their seats to watch as M'gann stood up. Instantly a strange wave of colour began snaking up her body from her toes. Lots of black flowed up her legs, followed by purple and finally dark brown as her hair changed colour and tied itself up in a bun. It was unmistakeably an exact copy of Swift.

"Whoa" Christine felt her eyes bulge outside her sockets as M'gann shifted her position. She promptly turned into a female form of Robin, before twirling and becoming a female version of Kid Flash.

Wally sighed "Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?"

"Very" Christine snorted, though secretly she too thought that the female Wally was quite cute.

The real Wally scowled at her and she shrugged smirking.

"Impressive" Dick clapped as the fem Kid Flash transformed back into M'gann. "But you know you're not exactly going to fool anyone with those"

"Mimicking boys' is a lot harder" M'gann looked down at her feet nervously as she sat back down.

"M'gann forget mimicking them, just simply understanding boys is a nightmare anyway"

M'gann smiled as Dick and Wally glared at Christine who smirked evilly at them.

"And you're clothes?" Kaldur asked quickly so as to divert an argument.

"They're organic like the ship. They respond to my mental commands"

"As long as they're the only ones" Superboy grumbled audibly.

_Ay! We have a really long way to go with this one_

Christine resisted the urge to roll her eyes as another small uncomfortable silence followed.

This time Wally decided to break it.

"Can you do that ghosting through walls thing like Manhunter does?!" he asked eagerly.

"Density shifting?" M'gann looked around nervously "No. It's a very advanced technique"

"Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall." Dick snickered "when he tries. Bloody nose"

He and Christine burst out laughing as Wally let out another cry of "Dude!"

"Here's something I can do" M'gann said as she shifted course to glide over the town "Camouflage mode"

"I don't see any change" Wally looked out of the window.

"Not from in here you won't" Christine looked out of the window and down at the cars on the streets. They looked like little colourful ants from up here.

Wally turned to her "and how would you-oh right sorry." he frowned a little before asking suddenly.

"M'gann can you turn invisible?"

M'gann looked surprised "Yeah, but it's more like cloaking than actual invisibility. Why?"

"Just a little experiment" Wally looked at Dick and Kaldur who both nodded in understanding.

"Can you and Swift both turn invisible, like right now?"

"Uh…ok?" Christine looked at M'gann who shrugged. They both turned invisible.

"Hey Supey!" Wally called out. Superboy turned around still frowning. "Can you use your X-ray vision…please?" the speedster added quickly.

Superboy huffed but complied. Instantly he could see the skeletal forms of his comrades.

"What do you see?" the skeletal form of Wally on his right spoke up.

Superboy focused intently.

"Four skeletons" he said before pointing to each of them in turn "You, Kaldur, Robin and M'gann" he pointed to the helm where M'gann reappeared.

"You can't see me?" Christine's disembodied voice sounded from somewhere close by.

"…No." Superboy shook his head going back to normal vision as Christine reappeared, leaning over Wally from behind his seat. He jumped crying out in surprise. He scowled as she skipped back to Dick. The boy wonder smirked looping his arms loosely around her as she sat on his lap.

"I've been meaning to ask" Kaldur looked at Dick and Christine with a curious expression "Robin you have called Swift your sister and yet-"

"We don't look related" Christine finished for him.

"We're adopted" Dick added matter of factly.

"I see…" Kaldur nodded in understanding.

_Well that explains a_ _**lot** _

He caught Wally's eye and the speedster grinned at him knowingly.

"Red Tornado to Miss Martian" Everyone sat up alert as the metallic voice of the android could suddenly be heard throughout the ship. "An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbour Power Plant. I suggest you investigate. Covertly. I'm sending co-ordinates"

"Received. Adjusting course" M'gann acknowledged.

"Tornado's keeping us busy again" Dick huffed as Christine went back to her seat for the descent.

"Well…a simple fire led you to Superboy" M'gann shrugged as they proceeded to land over a large, mostly empty parking lot "We should find out what caused the alert."

"I think I know the cause" Superboy said looking out the ships right window. Christine turned just in time to see the tornado spin across the pavement and into their still airborne ship.

M'gann grunted trying to use her telepathic abilities to stabilise them as they spun uncontrollably, round and round the vortex of wind. Had it not been for the belts that secured them to their chairs they would've all been thrashed to a pulp.

Christine closed her eyes to stop herself from getting dizzy as a particularly violent spin, spun them upside down.

_Be not afraid,_

A voice said in her head. Her eyes snapped open. Everyone around her was still yelling and holding on, their straps being strained. She on the other hand was quite stable in her seat, held in place by an invisible force.

_The wind shall not harm_ _**you,** _ _it shall help you_

The voice was that of a female and, though didn't belong to M'gann, felt familiar. It calmed her.

_Search for the rip in the weave._

"A rip in the weave? What weave" she muttered looked out the front windows and saw the criss-crossing interlace of the wind vortex. Now that she looked at it, the wind did look like it had been woven together. She gasped as through the corner of her eye she spotted a glimpse of the car park.

"M'gann!" Christine called "Go right!"

M'gann complied immediately and the Bio Ship flew out of the tornado. It hovered over the ground and they jumped out of an organic hole in the floor as the tornado moved back around the power plant.

Christine could hear people screaming in terror.

"Robin are tornados common in New England? Robin? Swift" Kaldur called out turning around but the two birds weren't there.

Christine spotted Dick a little way ahead as his small black form disappeared into the building.

_Oh please don't get too cocky boy wonder_

She pumped her legs harder shooting her grapple gun and hoisting herself up onto an open window. She looked down just as Dick flipped out of the way of a twister.

"ROBIN!" she yelled about to jump down to his side.

"Swift look out!" he called out.

Christine looked up just as a large gust of wind hit her face. She closed her eyes expecting to be tossed out the window, but was surprised to find that the wind just went around her. She opened her eyes.

A large robotic figure stood below her. Its base coat was red and it had a black stripe going down the middle. It was wearing dark blue metallic armour over its sides and arms with light blue tubes connecting the arms to two chutes on the back. The robot looked up on her.

"Hmm…interesting…" the voice was metallic but possessed emotion. At the moment it sounded impressed.

_Advanced AI…T.O. Morrow…or….?_

She readied herself into a fighting stance pulling out her purple utility belt from under her clothes. The robot fired an exceptionally large twister at her. Again like the first time it went around her rather than hitting her.

"That twister…should have been enough to dislodge Superman from the air…" Christine thought if the android could, he probably would have been narrowing his eyes.

Dick just stared at his partner, a million questions clouding his head. Christine was human, it was confirmed. Batman even had run medical tests using league equipment. How could she withstand a twister that could potentially knock out a Kryptonian?

Taking advantage of the androids surprise Christine aimed a few exploding birdarangs down at him. He spotted them and created a small twister which caught the discs in mid air and tossed them back at her.

"Uh oh" she jumped from the windows just in time as the birdarangs exploded. She positioned herself, legs first, and sprung off the androids helmet head. She smirked mid flip but then her eyes widened as she saw Dick come hurtling into her, head first into her stomach.

There was the crunch of cement being cracked as the birds crashed into a pillar. The android had aimed a twister at him which had caused the two of them to collide in mid air.

Christine got on all fours groggily. Everything was blurred; her glasses had been knocked off. She searched the floor blindly for them her ears ringing. Eventually she found the lenses but had to pull away sharply as the glass cut her finger.

"Perfect just perfect" she grumbled as she tried to find her bearings.

Christine reached into her belt and picked out a domino mask with white lenses. She put them on and her vision returned back to 20/20. Batman had made Christine's Swift masks custom made with multifocal lenses. This was good for two reasons one she wouldn't be impeded by her glasses in a fight and two it made the identities of Christine and Swift even more different from each other.

She saw Superboy land next to her and Dick glaring at the android.

"Who's your new friend?"

"Didn't catch his name but he plays kinda rough" Dick yelled.

"My apologies" the android said smugly. "You may address me as Mister Twister"

"Good now I know what to call you when I send your scraps to the incinerator" Christine snarled under her breath as she saw Superboy fly backwards into the wall.

"He broke your glasses didn't he?" Despite the situation around him Dick was rather amused as he saw her eyebrow twitch.

Kaldur nodded at M'gann as Wally pulled out his red goggles. The three of them rushed at Twister who flung them away easily with his wind vortexes.

Dick and Christine both stood up glaring as Twister spoke once again.

"I was prepared to be challenged by a superhero. I was not however expecting children"

"We're not children" Dick yelled throwing his own red birdarangs at the android. One disrupted his twister abilities and the other lodged itself in its chest, but it was flicked away before it could explode.

"Objectively you are. Have you no adult supervision? I find your presence quite disturbing"

"Right and your presence isn't? But seriously we'd hate to see you disturbed" Christine narrowed her eyes at Twister as Kaldur, M'gann and Superboy ran to their side. Wally it seemed was still out for the count in the car park where he'd landed.

"Let's see if you're more  **turbed**  once we kick your can!" Dick agreed.

M'gann put her palms forward using her telekinesis to break a part a piece of equipment hanging from the ceiling. It landed on Twister creating a screen of dust which Superboy used to cover his aerial attack. However he was unsuccessful as Twister blew him backwards into a flying M'gann with a heavy gust of wind.

Christine, Dick and Kaldur rushed forwards arming themselves, the birds with their birdarangs and the Atlantian with his electric sorcery.

Twister aimed two twisters at the three of them. Like before Christine just ran through but was cut short as Dick and Kaldur, who had been hit by the wind vortexes crashed into her from both sides, sandwiching her painfully.

She landed on the ground with a thud hearing the footsteps of the android leaving. Groaning she rolled over almost into Dick who was on all fours. They stood up along with the others and groggily walked over to the exit where a large explosion had just happened.

As the dust cleared they saw Wally hovering in the air.

"I got you Wally" M'gann lowered the speedster from her telekinetic hold. They turned to see Mister Twister on the far side of the car park.

"I would've thought you all would've learned your limitations by now" he said loudly.

"What do you want?" Kaldur yelled angrily.

"Isn't it obvious?" Twister rose up into the air "I'm waiting for a real hero"

"Read his mind and find a weakness!"

"I thought I wasn't supposed to do that?!"

"It's okay with the bad guys" Dick yelled angrily.

M'gann concentrated for a moment before exclaiming angrily "Nothing! I'm getting nothing!" then she hit her head in a 'duh' action "Hello Megan! Mister Twister is Red Tornado in disguise! He's inorganic, an android! How many androids do you know that can generate tornados?"

Christine was about to agree when she heard the strange voice in her head again.

_This robot is not your friend._

She grunted a little clutching her head barely registering her friends' angry outbursts at the android.

_He is an enemy who can control the same anomalies as the Red Tornado. You must not let him continue his tirade or else-_

The voice was cut short as Mister Twister raised both his hands over his head. Two tornados rose into the sky and met. The sky grew dark and the wind began howling around them.

"An impressive show" Kaldur was still quite angry "We will not indulge you! We will not engage"

Christine gulped as she saw lightning form in the eye of the storm.

"Uh…can Red Tornado do that" Wally shuddered.

"You think I'm Tornado? Ironic"

There was a loud explosion, but Christine wasn't caught in it like the others. Instead Twister had thrown her up in a gust of wind that brought her to him.

"Can't have you ruining my plans now can I?" He gripped her body in a singular large robotic hand. She cried out in pain as a loud snapping sound came from her side. One of her ribs had cracked. She heard a disturbance in the wind as Superboy leapt up to her aid only to be struck down by another shot of lightning.

"Superboy!" she cried out. Her cry startled Twister and he let go of her. She fell into Superboy who wrapped his arms around her and twisted himself so that he landed on his back first, cushioning their fall as they tore across the grass to the others.

They both groaned in pain. Christine turned her head to the side saw M'gann sit up a little further away as Twister hovered above them, lightning crackling in his palms.

Then she saw the android stop.

"Fine then! I won't deny you children have power. But playing hide and seek with you will not help me achieve my objectives so stay concealed! If you confront me again I will show no mercy."

The android flew away.

As soon as he was out of sight Christine rolled off Superboy. She clutched her head as she stumbled over to her feet. She'd banged her skull against Superboy's breastbone when they'd landed and it was throbbing. Who knew that Kryptonian skeletons were so hard?

"What happened?" Wally asked.

"I put the Bio Ship between us" M'gann explained.

"And that's supposed to make it right?" Superboy was on his feet angrily storming back to the group. "You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado"

"She didn't do it on purpose" Kaldur stood to M'gann's defence.

"It was a rookie mistake, we shouldn't have listened" Dick straightened up.

"You are pretty inexperienced" Wally shoved his hands into his pockets "Hit the showers, we'll take it from here"

"Stay out of our way" Superboy growled before speeding off. Wally joined him.

Christine and Dick followed the former keeping her distance from the latter as they ran. She briefly turned to see Kaldur following behind, leaving M'gann sitting to sulk alone by the ship.

They'd been running for a couple of hours when Christine felt a gust of wind above them. She smirked slightly and skidded to a stop, panting slightly as Dick and Kaldur ran back to her side.

"Go on ahead" she puffed

"Are you sure?" Kaldur asked concerned.

"Yeah! I just need to catch my breath, I'll be there as soon as I can" she waved them both off. The two boys looked at each other before reluctantly running ahead.

As soon as they were out of sight Christine looked up.

"You can de-camouflage now M'gann"

She saw the Bio Ship as it descended to land in front of her. The back door opened and she ran inside.

M'gann was at the helm, looking nervously at her.

"Listen…about before I-" she mumbled but Christine cut across her.

"Don't even think about it"

"Where to?" she asked suddenly all business.

"The harbour, see those little boats just there?" Christine pointed to the spot through the front window. From their spot they could see the entire harbour. M'gann nodded before standing up.

"I have a plan to get rid of Twister." she stepped down from the helm "Can you drive?"

Christine's face split into a huge excited grin as she ran up to the large seat.

* * *

They were up in the air, Christine flying the Bio Ship above the clouds and M'gann flying alongside by herself.

M'gann couldn't help but smile Christine performed a couple of loop de loops. She had to admit it; the girl was a natural at flying.

_You ready for this?_

She asked telepathically

_Let's do this_

Christine replied her excitement turning into seriousness in an instant.

The ship turned invisible as they flew lower. Christine kept her eyes on the boys on the ground ahead as M'gann transformed into a replica of Red Tornado.

_Listen to me all of you!_

She heard the Martian girl's voice in her head as she addressed the team at large.

"What did we tell you?" came the distant yell of Superboy from the ground. Christine could now see Twister in their centre.

_I know!_

M'gann replied.

_I know I messed up. But now we're very clear on what we have to do. Please trust me!_

_What do you mean we?_

It was Dick's voice. Christine smiled as she listened to M'gann relay the plan to the boys who all seemed shocked at first but listened.

Christine stayed hovering in the ship. She used it to cover different bunches of civilians so that they wouldn't get caught in the cross fire. finally once all civilians were gone she landed the ship.

She sat back and watched as M'gann, in Red Tornado's form was taken down by Twister.

Oh the joke was really going to be on him now.

She smirked as Twister fell backwards into a water trap and exploded. A man hobbled out of the wrecked suit.

Christine landed the ship as M'gann levitated a rock and smashed it down on the man.

She opened the ramp of the ship and Dick's angry cries hit her ears.

"Don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth we don't execute her captives. AND YOU LETTING HER DO IT!" he yelled suddenly turning towards Christine as she walked towards them.

"You said you'd trust her" she smirked raising her eyebrows as M'gann used her telekinesis to lift the giant rock.

Beneath it the destroyed scraps of a metallic body and detailed electrical wiring were revealed.

"That's why I couldn't read his mind" M'gann and Christine both looked rather smug as all the boys eyes widened in shock.

Eventually Wally stepped towards the ruined android.

"Cool." He picked up an electronic eyeball which had rolled out of its metal socket. "Souvenir"

"Anything you boys would like to say?" Christine raised her eyebrows before standing next to M'gann. They all nodded rather sheepishly.

"We should've had more faith in you" Kaldur put a hand on M'gann's shoulder.

"Yeah. You rocked this mission! Get it 'rocked'?" Wally grinned.

Dick sighed and shook his head.

"Ignore him. We're all just turbed you're on the team"

They all smiled.

**_An hour later…_ **

They were back at the cave, Twister's body and suit laid out on a table as they reported to the real Red Tornado.

"It was clearly created to sabotage or destroy you" Kaldur narrowed his eyes with disgust at the parts.

"Agreed" Red Tornado looked up at them all.

"Is that why you wouldn't help us?" M'gann asked worriedly.

"No. This was your battle. I do not believe it is my role to solve your problems for you. Nor should you solve mine for me"

Christine looked up from her holo computer surprised.

"But if you're in danger-" she began but Tornado cut across her robotically.

"Consider this matter closed"

_He's worse than Dad is_

She narrowed her eyes as the Android turned on his heel.

"Batman, Aquaman and Flash, they'd have jumped right in to fix things" Wally muttered. He was working across from Christine, beside Dick who frowned and sighed.

"Guess if we're going to have a babysitter, a heartless machine is exactly what we need"

"Dude! Harsh" Wally pointed out as Christine glared at her brother.

"And inaccurate." Red Tornado's voice suddenly said. They all jumped to their feet in surprise "I have a heart. Carbon Steel alloy. I also have excellent hearing"

Christine smirked as Dick fumbled.

"Right. Sorry. I'll strive to be…more accurate"

"And more respectful" Kaldur put a hand on Dick's shoulder and raised an eyebrow at him. The younger boy let out a shaky laugh as two beeps sounded.

"Speedy was so wrong." Wally smirked as they headed towards the corridor.

"This team thing…" Dick started.

"Might just work out" Kaldur agreed. He was about to follow Dick and Wally before turning to Christine. "Are you coming?"

"Ah ha! Done" Christine smiled as she shut down her computer screen. "The scans are ready. Now I just have to get them to Batman when I go home" the two of them paused quietly before looking back.

They saw Superboy from a distance as he approached M'gann and muttered a small sorry.

Christine and Kaldur both smiled at each other, before going round the corner. Neither teen knew it but Superboy decided to follow them. He'd kept his distance, not wanting to disturb until he heard his name.

"I'm glad Superboy's getting settled in" Kaldur said softly.

"So am I" Christine agreed. They paused letting M'gann levitate past them in a rush before Kaldur spoke again.

"But I'm still worried. He has so much still to learn and without Superman-"

"I know" Christine sighed before smiling softly "but we'll be there for him. We'll  _all_  be there for him. We're a team…he won't need Superman because we'll be his family"

Kaldur nodded.

"You're right…" his smile grew wider as he ruffled her hair softly with one hand "We will"

Superboy stopped as they turned a corner. He touched his chest. A warm something had flared in it when he'd heard that last sentence. He frowned concentrating hard. He'd felt that warmth before…when he'd first talked to Kaldur, Swift, Robin and Wally back at CADMUS. He didn't understand why but the feeling made him smile.

"… family?…" he murmured.

He began walking again, the warmth in him propelling him forwards as he reached the common room.

Swift was between Wally and Robin on the couch, the former trying to snuggle up with her whilst the latter was seething and tugging her away.

He saw Kaldur who was sitting on the couch opposite them watching the scene with amusement whilst M'gann bustled her way around the kitchen preparing a snack. He watched her for a minute, eyeing the way her skirt and hair swished and the way her brows crinkled in concentration as she checked the oven.

"It's now or never Swift! Make your choice" Wally's voice wafted into his ears. He turned to see Swift being held between the red head and raven haired boys by the arms like a rag doll.

"What are my options…" she looked between the two of them bemused

"Well…" Wally smirked "you can have a smoking red haired speedster like me, or," he grinned evilly at Robin who glowered "you can have a short little birdie"

"Hey who are you calling short?" Robin yelled angrily.

"hmm…tough choice" Swift smirked "You're both  _so_  tempting, but I'm gonna have to refuse"

"WHAT!" Wally cried out as giggling Swift skipped over to Superboy.

"Close your eyes and open your arms wide" she grinned at him. He did as he was told, frowning slightly as he did.

Suddenly he felt her arms wrap around his chest. "Now put your arms around me"

Superboy hesitated. He opened his eyes, looking down at her as she squeezed him tight. She was so small in comparison to him. Her head barely reached his chest. What if he squashed her? Cautiously he looped his arms around her and tried as gently as he could to mimic her squeeze.

He looked around the room uncertainly. Everyone else had turned to watch, smiling warmly at the two, even Wally and Robin.

"What are we doing?" he asked unsurely.

"It's called a hug" Swift broke away to smile up at him.

"A hug?"

"Uh hmm" she nodded hugged him again. "Welcome to the family, Superboy"


	6. Episode 4 - Drop Zone

**Caribbean Sea, July 22, 2010, 20:08 ECT**

They were seated in the Bio Ship flying over moonlit clouds. Despite the serenity of their surroundings the atmosphere in the ship was tenser then one of Green Arrows drawn bow strings.

The reason for this tension?

It was the team's first official mission from Batman. Swift sat on the far left of the ship behind Robin, Aqualad and Superboy to her right. Kid Flash was centre front and Miss Martian was steering at the helm.

"We're approaching Santa Prisca" she said. She was quiet but they all jumped as if she'd yelled it out. Goes to show what nerves can do to you.

Her thoughts wandered back to three hours earlier.

_"Isla Santa Prisca" Batman stood in front of holographic screens which showed the map of an island in the middle of the Caribbean._

_Swift had to shake her head slightly to clear it of the Pirates of the Caribbean tune that was now playing over in her mind. Man she had to cut down on the movies at home._

_"This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neo-steroid, a strength enhancing drug, sold on the street, named Venom."_

_The screens changed to show blueprints of a facility._

_"Infrared heat signatures indicate that their factory is still operating at full capacity, but all shipments of Venom have been inexplicably cut off. That's where this team comes in" He turned to face the team finger pointed._

_"This is a_ _**covert recon** _ _mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene it will." He turned back to the screen._

_"The plan requires two drop zones"_

_"So who's in charge?" Robin piped in._

_Batman and Red Tornado exchanged quick glances, before the former stated quickly._

_"Work that out between you"_

Swift's thoughtful expression turned sour under both her mouth and domino masks. It was unusual for Batman to not be prepared to answer a question and even rarer for him to not know an answer. Swift eyed Robin's smirk from his spot in front of her.

If she used logic, Superboy and Miss Martian were far too inexperienced to be leader, and Kid Flash was way too impulsive. That left Robin, Aqualad and of course herself.

No not herself. Swift bit her lip. It wasn't that she wasn't confident in her skills; in fact it was quite the opposite.

Swift had been trained by the Batman even before Robin came on the scene. Of course he'd never originally intended for her to join him on his crusade. He had just agreed to train her to keep her busy whenever she stayed during times her real father was fighting in Afghanistan and her mother was working overseas.

She looked up at the half moon. Its white light reminded her of the glow from the large Bat-computer. She smiled remembering fondly how at age seven; she used to sit and fall asleep on Batman's lap, wrapped in his cape, listening to him as he read out the Riddler's newest riddles.

No she couldn't be leader and nor could Robin. They'd both worked too much with Batman; they were both too used to his ways. They barely knew this team. It would take time to create a new dynamic for this team. Neither of them were ready...at least not yet.

That left Aqualad as their only option. Swift glanced at the Atlantian boy from behind her domino mask. He was sitting with his hands on his knees looking out of his window. Yes…Aqualad would have to be there leader. He was calm, collected and decisive and knew how to effectively communicate to most of the team.

The white slits of her eyes narrowed as she saw the dark looming shape grow larger on the surface of the ocean.

"Drop Zone A in thirty" Swift announced as a timer appeared on a holo screen.

Aqualad stood up and tapped his belt buckle. Instantly his top turned from red to dark grey. "Ready" he nodded.

"Putting Bio Ship in camouflage mode" Miss Martian nodded. As she began lowering the ship towards the waters Aqualad positioned himself into a diving position. A hole appeared in the ground before him and he leapt down, entering the water smoothly.

Swift watched Aqualad's progress on the holo map in front of her. After a couple of tense minutes she saw his dot appear on the island and pause. She sighed in relief as she heard his voice in her com.

_"Heat and motion sensors are patched. Data is now on a continuous loop. Move in"_

"Roger that" she turned to the others "he did it"

Miss Martian smiled nervously but adjusted their course.

They all stood up and their chairs disappeared as Miss Martian flew over Drop Zone B, which was over the Island itself. Lines dropped in front of them and Swift attached hers to her belt as did Robin.

"How cool is this?" Kid Flash tapped the lightning symbol on his chest and his suit changed colour. It turned black and dark grey.

"Very impressive" Miss Martian smirked as her skirt and top combo turned into a black bodysuit with a red X.

"uh…that works too" Kid muttered.

"Sweet" as her mouth was covered Swift gave a thumbs up to show her approval.

"Hey Supey, it's not too late to put on the new stealth tech" she glanced over at Superboy who glowered crossing his arms.

"No capes, no tights, no offence"

"It totally works for you" Miss Martian said a slightly dreamy expression on her face. They all looked at her and she started "...In that you can totally do good work in those clothes" she mimicked Swift's thumb up. Superboy turned away abruptly and Miss Martian pulled her cape's hood over her as she cloaked herself.

" **Suit**  yourself" Robin smirked.

Swift shook her head and sighed as Miss Martian flew through the hole in the floor. "You and your puns"

"You know you love them" he murmured softly into her ear.

"What? You or your puns?" she was glad most of her face was covered because her cheeks were very pink under her mouth mask.

"Both"

"…hmm …maybe" Swift smirked beneath her mask as Robin's grin was replaced by his own blush.

"Yeah, yeah rub it in lovebirds" Kid Flash rolled his eyes. He snorted as his two best friends jumped a part and jumped down their lines hurriedly.

"Those two…"

He muttered as he slid down

_"I don't get why can't they just get on with it and go out already?"_

Miss Martian sounded confused on her side of the com.

_"You speak for me also"_

Aqualad agreed through the link, he sounded very amused.

Kid Flash chuckled as he landed, but before he could start teasing the birds he had to jump away. Superboy had jumped from the ship, without his line. His landing was hard and was still sending tremors through the earth as he straightened up in the middle of a small crater.

"Knew I didn't need a line" he smirked.

"Be that as it may…"Swift grunted as she got to her feet.

"Creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the  **covert** " Robin snapped as he rushed to her side helping her up.

"Aqualad" Miss Martian said through her com, ignoring the others "Drop B is go"

" _Head for the factory_ " Aqualad puffed on his end " _I'll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP"_

"Roger that" Robin nodded putting off his holo computer.

"If we make way for the river, going against the flow we should be able to find the factory's waste disposal systems" Swift pointed into a clump of bushes on their left. The others nodded. They made their way through the trees towards the river.

They followed it for some time until they reached a waterfall. As they approached it Swift felt the wind shift strangely. She stopped in her tracks. It was blowing upwards back to the top of the large rock beside them.

"Swift?" Kid Flash turned to look at her. The others kept walking ahead.

"You go on a head with Dick. I'll catch up" she muttered.

"Are you sure? I could stay as back up" Kid looked at Robin's back as he said this. He didn't think that his best friend would be too happy that he had let his sister scout out on her own, even if she was trained by Batman.

"I'm just going to the top of the cliff to get a lay of the land." She groaned in irritation. "I won't take long"

"…alright. But call us if there's any trouble"

Swift nodded and gave the speedster a thumb up before he sped off into the bushes. As soon as he was gone she clicked her grapple gun and swung herself upwards.

She had to climb the last few meters but still reached within two minutes. It was a good thing her costume was mostly dark colours because the rock was completely flat and open. She pulled out her binoculars and did a 360 degree turn. It took her a couple of complete revolutions before she spotted a building in the distance at the foot of a small mountain.

"Bingo" she muttered.

"You've found it?"

Swift wheeled around as Aqualad straightened himself up by the edge of the rock. He was puffing slightly and was still soaking wet from his swim.

"Yeah found it" Swift sighed as she turned back to look at the facility, opening up her computer. "You're not joining the others?" she squinted at the screen.

"I saw your dot separate on the GPS. Is something wrong?"

"No it's fine. I just thought it might be good to get my bearings before I go down there. Don't worry I made sure the others knew where I was going"

Aqualad nodded.

Swift tapped her com.

"You're all on the right path but be careful there might be some mines ahead so go into the trees when you can."

" _Roger that. Is everything ok? Where are you? Kid said you stayed behind at the waterfall?_ " the last three questions came at her in a rush. She rolled her eyes. Why did everyone always worry so much about her? She knew she was the smallest and…no she wasn't the youngest of the team, Robin was. She was older than him by a month!

"I'm keeping watch from the top of that cliff that was next to it. Don't worry Aqualad's with me" she reassured him.

" _Aqualad? Oh…Ok_ " He sounded rather put out. She heard his com link shut off.

_What the hell was that about?_

But she didn't have much time to worry about Robin.

"Shit!" she swore as she quickly squatted down.

"What's wrong?" Aqualad rushed to join her side. Swift pulled him down to crouch beside her. The voices of a group of men hit their ears. She couldn't hear what they were saying but they didn't sound friendly at all. She put her binoculars to her eyes again.

"Strange" she muttered under her breath. The men's red uniforms looked familiar to her but she couldn't figure out why.

"A patrol?" Aqualad asked.

"Maybe…but we should probably go down to the others" Swift shrugged. Aqualad nodded. They waited for a couple of seconds as the group passed the base of their rock, before jumping down.

"Superboy, Kid. Switch to infrared. See if you're being tracked" Aqualad hissed as he ran on the forest floor. Swift took to the trees, her footfalls barely making any noise on each of the branches.

The two of them ran for five minutes or so when they both heard the first gunshot.

"Swing wide, steer clear!"

" _Yeah yeah. Just as soon as I find Rob_ " Kid grumbled on his end.

"What? Where is he?" Swift hissed.

" _You tell me-uwaa!_ "

"KF!" Swift gasped as she heard the scratching and grinding of dirt in her ears. She accelerated herself as she heard a couple of loud thumps in her ear that signalled Kid's messy landing.

"KF are you alright?" she whispered urgently. "KF!"

" _So much for the stealthy_ " she heard him say. Then several loud bangs popped in her ears.

Swift's blood ran cold.

"Keep to the shadows" Aqualad called up to her "try to attack from the edges."

"…right" Swift gulped.

They she could see a clearing ahead but she kept to the trees. She didn't like it but she knew Aqualad was right. If they both got in the middle of the sparring space there was a much higher chance of getting shot in the cross fire.

She snuck to the ground taking out the goons from behind. Eventually she saw a figure jump down from above.

"What is wrong with you guys? Remember covert? Why didn't you follow my lead? Vanish into the jungle!"

It was Robin.

Swift let out a huge sigh of relief but it quickly gave way to anger. The idiot! How could he just vanish on them without a word? Even if he hadn't told the others he could've at least made sure  _she_  knew couldn't he? Her thoughts seemed to be shared by Kid Flash. The speedster quickly pummelled a goon and rounded on his friend.

"That's what you were doing? Way to fill us in. We're not mind readers you know!" he quickly turned as Miss Martian used her telekinesis to smash two goons into a tree.

"Err..i'm not anyway" he mumbled

"You told me I could only read the bad guys minds" Miss Martian frowned.

Swift saw through the corner of her eyes as Aqualad beat up the last straggler. She stepped out of her spot behind the bushes arms crossed. Robin smirked.

"At least someone managed to stick to the…plan…" he faltered under her narrowed eyes. She turned away from him curtly and began dragging a knocked out goon to a tree. The others exchanged glances and followed suit.

They didn't talk until all the goons were rounded up and tied to the bases of several large trees.

"I recognise these uniforms" Robin muttered addressing Swift more than anyone else.

"They belong to the cult of the Kobra" she clipped keeping both eyes on their captives. Robin's shoulders hunched dejectedly.

"I am certain Batman would've mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation" Aqualad spoke up. He was trying to keep the tension at bay but alas it wasn't working.

"Agreed" Robin nodded "And since there's clearly no love lost between the cultist and these goons I'm betting Kobra came in and tossed them out! That's why normal supply lines have been cut off"

"We get it!" Kid Flash groaned "Kobra wanted super cultists. Mystery solved. Radio Bats and we'll be home in time for-"

"These cultists aren't on venom" Swift snapped and Kid flinched "Kobra's hoarding this stuff" Robin saw her holo screen up. It was running an analysis on the blood chemistry of the Kobra goons.

"We don't leave" Robin said "Not until I know why"

"Until  _you_  know why" Kid sneered

"This team needs a leader"

"And it's  _you_?" Kid got offensively close to Robin, who stood his ground "Dude, you're a thirteen year old kid who ducked out on us without a word"

"And you're a mature fifteen? You blew our cover first chance you got. Besides Swift left too if you don't remember"

"Yeah but at least  _she_  told  _us_  where  _she_  was going" Kid Flash pointed his finger at her

"Hey don't drag me into this!" Swift raised her hands in token of peace but Robin continued to glare at Kid Flash.

She backed away as the two boys argued and joined Aqualad who was watching from a distance.

"Do you want to be leader?" he asked her.

She shook her head "I'm not ready to lead"

Aqualad looked down on her eyebrows raised "Are you sure?"

"Unlike the two idiots over there Kaldur, I know my limitations."

She left it at that, walking over to the captives.

She could've sworn she'd heard one of them speaking in Spanish.

She glanced at Superboy who caught her eye. He gave a pointed look to one of the trees where a large muscled man was tied up. He was well over six feet and was wearing a dark muscle shirt tucked into dark combat pants and had a white and black Lucha Libre mask covering his face.

She walked over to him slowly.

"Bueno, si no es poco chica de Batman. Mi cómo has crecido [Well if it isn't the Batman's little chica? My how you've grown]" The villain smirked as he recognised her.

"Hola, Bane" she greeted coldly in fluent Spanish. "Veo que has sido para nada bueno de nuevo [I see you've been up to no good again]"

"Problema viene con el trabajo. Ya sabes cómo es. [Trouble comes with the job. You know how it is.]" His smirk widened

"De hecho lo hago [indeed I do]" she narrowed her eyes

"Sabes que siempre me he preguntado por qué una niña como tú querría involucrarse en una profesión tan peligrosa [You know I've always wondered why a little girl like you would want to get involved in such a dangerous profession]"

"Al igual que yo he dicho alguna vez alguien como tú [Like I'd ever tell the likes of you]"

Bane gave a dark chuckle at her narrowed domino mask. He eyed Kid Flash and Robin as the two argued as they walked past him.

"Such clever, ninos." he laughed. "But you only know half the story. Let me show you the rest get you into the factory, via my secret entrance" Swift's eyes turned into slits as everyone stopped in their tracks to pay attention.

Miss Martian knelt by Swift's side and focused her mental powers on Bane.

"There is a secret entrance" she glared at him "but he's also hiding something" her eyes glowed white as she tried once again to enter his mind.

"Ah, ah, ah Chica. Bane is not that easy."

"Argh! He's mentally reciting football scores in Espanol. This could take a while"

"If you let me in I could translate" Swift smirked.

"It's not that complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend"

Swift turned back to the boys who exchanged glances. Eventually they all nodded.

She cut his bonds. As he was about to stand up she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and snarled.

"Si hace doble atreves a cruzar o plomo en la dirección equivocada voy a arrancar las pelotas de la manera más dolorosa imaginable. ¿Ha quedado claro? [If you dare double cross us or lead in the wrong direction I will rip out your balls in the most painful way imaginable. Do I make myself clear?]"

"Transparently clear Chica" Bane smiled, but only with his mouth. His eyes on Swift were dark and calculating. Swift's eyes narrowed dangerously as she pulled Bane to his feet. He brushed her off but she kept her eyes on his back. She turned to follow him.

The others shuddered behind her back as a chill settled over them that had nothing to do with the night air.

"What did she say?" Kid Flash gulped as they stepped through the undergrowth.

"Trust me" Robin put a hand up to silence Kid "You don't wanna know"

"Is she always scary like this on patrol?" Miss Martian asked nervously. She had never seen Swift act so nastily before. She had always been very sweet and friendly towards her back at the cave. Her humour was perhaps a little sarcastic at times but it was usually meant well.

"Only when she gets really pissed off." Robin huffed.

"And whose fault do you think is that?" Kid glared. Robin chose not to answer.

Ten minutes later they came to the edge of another cliff. Robin pulled out his binoculars and watched.

"Look at all that product" he whispered "a buy is going down, but if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects…"

"We need to identify that buyer" Aqualad stated firmly.

"Just what I was thinking" Kid nodded.

"Yeah! You're the thinker" Robin sneered.

"Sarcasm? Dude a real leader would be focused on getting  **answers** "

Swift kept her eyes glued to Bane all the way through the conversation as the latter moved away. She followed him, keeping a hand to her utility belt as Bane picked up a giant rock. He threw it aside revealing a hidden tunnel.

"Answers are this way" he smirked.

"After you" he gestured to Swift who didn't move. Instead she narrowed her eyes.

"Fine then" he scowled. He walked inside and Swift and the others followed.

"So now El Luchador is our leader!" Kid exclaimed in a huff. Robin smacked him hard.

"Ow!"

Swift glared back at the two of them and they both shut up.

They walked down the long series of tunnels, Swift sticking closer to Bane than blue tack to a wall. To make sure he wasn't duping them she pulled out her holo map so whenever he turned around he would be able see all their progress.

Eventually they reached a locked door. Bane pushed a finger onto a pad in the lock which blinked red a couple of times before turning green. It swung open a little and Robin rushed to peek through.

"All clear" he whispered before rushing forwards.

Swift let him go watching as Kid Flash sped off after him to the lights on the second floor. She looked at Aqualad who turned towards her and smiled.

"We'll watch Bane, you go"

"Thanks" she stepped backwards into the shadows and vanished from sight.

She reappeared only when she stepped into the room above. Robin was sitting at a computer. There was something about the way he was sitting that relaxed her slightly.

"Got anything yet?" she asked and was surprised to hear her voice was warm and calm.

"Oh so now you're talking to me?' he snapped not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Robin…I just wanted to say-" she mumbled.

"Well if you want to say something so badly why don't you just go talk to  _Kaldur?_ " he spat his teammate's name as an intense resentment flared up inside.

Swift opened her mouth to speak just as something skidded into the room. She turned to see Kid Flash unwrap an energy bar and take a bite out of it. He caught her eye nervously as if expecting her to glare at him but she merely turned away with hunched shoulders.

"Whatcha got?" he stood between them and leaned over Robin's shoulder at the computer. A complex red diagram of molecules spun around on the monitor, the key proteins in them highlighted.

"Chemical formulas. I'm guessing it involves venom but…" Robin trailed off.

"This one's venom and that one's… whoa" Kid Flash pulled his hand back sharply as a blue molecular structure appeared and merged with the red.

"The block buster formula from CADMUS" Swift breathed eyes wide.

"Mixed correctly Kobra's new juices are going to be three times stronger than venom…and permanent" He looked to Swift and Robin "But how did Kobra get access to Project Blockbuster?"

"Our mystery buyer-" Swift began

"Must also be Kobra's supplier-" Robin continued

"Using the cult to create a blockbuster super formula!" She finished.

Kid raised his eyebrows and Swift and Robin looked away from each other quickly. Robin tapped his com.

"Robin to Aqualad! We got…static…"

"And gunfire" Swift had hacked into the security cameras and was watching the screen. She could see Aqualad, Miss Martian and Superboy battling it out against Kobra's minions.

"Bane's gone!" Kid exclaimed pointing at the screen.

"That bastard!" she snarled.

They all ran out of the room, Kid Flash separating from the two of them as they reached the middle of a bridge. Robin nodded at Swift and they both disappeared into the rafters.

_Everyone online_

The sudden appearance of Miss Martian's voice in her head almost made Swift loose her footing as she ran.

_Yeah._

Superboy grumbled in her head.

_You know it beautiful_

Swift could almost see Kid's smirk in her head.

_Good, we need to regroup!_

Aqualad commanded.

_A bit busy right now_

Robin complained as he and Swift landed in front of a man and a woman next to the red helicopter. The man had chalk white skin and snake like eyes. He was wearing a deep red robe with a hood. The woman next to him was also pale. She was slender and had a kind of goth punk look going for her with her half head of hair and black Kobra tattoo.

"Batman must be desperate, if he sends his whelps to task me"

"What's the matter Koby?" Robin called out.

"You seem rather disconcerted" Swift smirked.

"This is beneath me. Shimmer, take them" the woman lunged at the Boy and Girl Wonder who both jumped over her easily. They readied themselves for an attack

_Robin, Swift NOW!_

Aqualad yelled in their heads. Shimmer decided to rush them again. Swift grabbed Robin's hand as she threw down a flash bomb before the woman could reach them. By the time the smoke had cleared they'd both darted inside the factory.

They landed on a metal support above. Inside was pandemonium. The rattling of machine guns everywhere as the Kobra goons shot at the team, the sounds of snarls and thumps from a strange mammoth sized creature that was fighting Superboy and the constant spraying of water as Aqualad wielded his water bearers.

_We need to retreat. Kid clear a path!_

Aqualad ordered. Swift scanned the floor.

_The door we came through! It's still open!_

She mentally called.

"Swift!" Robin cried out. Swift turned as Robin flung himself at her, shielding her from the sprays of bullets that suddenly came their way. There was a loud cacophony of clangs as the bullets hit metal. She grabbed on tight as he swung them from their support to the floor.

They sprinted through the door just as the large behemoth monster wrestled past with Superboy. He flung it to the side, knocking out several gunners in the process, before running through and bolting the door.

But they'd barely been running for two whole minutes when the monster burst through into the tunnel followed by more Kobra goons. They started shooting again.

Swift looked back at the gunmen before glancing up at the ceiling. Aqualad followed her gaze.

"Superboy the support beams!" he called. Swift breathed heavily as she put all her energy into sprinting for her life. She could hear the crunches of the roof as the pressure of the earth above pushed down upon them before it eventually caved in.

They all skidded to a halt as the last pebble stopped rolling.

"Phew" Swift sighed in relief. She slumped against the wall rubbing her thighs. They were really burning now.

Something cracked. A red light filled the dark space as Kaldur dropped the glow stick to the ground. They were all standing in a circle. Swift saw that she was right next to Miss Martian with Superboy and Kid Flash opposite her. Aqualad stood opposite the wall of rock facing Dick who was leaning against it.

"How could my first mission as leader go so wrong?" he sighed in frustration.

"You do have the most the most experience." Aqualad said calmly. "But perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared. Fighting alongside Batman and Swift your roles are, defined. You three do not need to talk. But this team is new, and the leader my must be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play parts in an unknown plan"

"Oh! So I'm supposed to hold everyone's hands?!" Robin whirled around to glare at them all.

Swift went over to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her

"Kaldur's right Robin…even  **I**  didn't know what you were up to until you reappeared…hearing all that gunfire…I thought…" turned away and bit her lip.

Robin's eyes widened. The only reason she was angry at him was because she was… worried for him? He felt his earlier irritation with Aqualad lessen considerably and he looked down at the floor.

"Who am I kidding?" he pulled Swift and squeezed her into his side in a one armed hug before smiling up at Kaldur. "You should lead us Kaldur. You're the only one who can"

"Oh please! I can run in circles-"

"Oh come on Wally!" Robin cut across the Speedster "You know he's the one. We all do"

"Hello Megan! It's so obvious" Miss Martian smiled hands on her hips.

"Could've told ya." Superboy smirked.

Kid Flash looked around the circle his eyes resting on Robin and Swift. He saw her eyes narrow and he shuddered.

"Okay! Okay!" he raised his hands up in token of peace. "Man it's like having a mini version of Batman around" he grumbled under his breath.

"I'll take that as a compliment" Swift smirked.

Aqualad walked over to Robin and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Then I accept the burden. Until  **you**  are ready to lift it from my shoulders"

"What about Swift?" Superboy asked.

"What about me?" she leaned around to look at him.

"Well…second to Robin you do have the most experience" Miss Martian said.

"Swift has already expressed her desires to  **not**  be team leader" Aqualad turned to address the team "That being said she has shown considerable abilities on the field. I would like to offer her the position as second in command, if that is alright with you" he looked down at Robin as he said this.

In the short space of time he'd come to know him, Aqualad knew that the Boy Wonder was very possessive of his partner, especially around the other male members of the team. He watched as Swift looked at Robin nervously. The latter grinned.

"Totally fine"

"Then I accept" Swift turned to Aqualad and nodded.

Aqualad smiled. "Alright, our first priority is preventing that shipment from leaving the island"

"Funny I had the same thought!" Robin laughed as they all huddled together.

"What about the factory?" Swift asked.

"What about it?" Kid asked.

"Even if we stop that shipment the factory can still make a new batch of Blockbuster Venom to sell later on"

"True…" Kid nodded. They all began to run along the tunnel.

"But I'm worried. If Sportsmaster is the supplier/buyer that still doesn't make any sense" Swift pulled up her own data to see the molecular structure of Blockbuster Venom.

"You're right" Robin took out his holo computer on his wrist. "He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula or get Kobra to do his dirty work"

"And Neither have the chops to blend Blockbuster with Venom either" Kid Flash stated. "That took some major nerdage"

"I believe the expression is…tip of the iceberg"

Aqualad stopped in his tracks and the other's followed suit. Bane had appeared at the end of the tunnel. He dropped a vial on the ground.

"Halt ninos" he grinned wickedly "I'm feeling  **explosive** "

Swift heard beeping and looked up. Green lights were flickering in the support beams above their heads.

"Hijo de puta! [You bastard!]" She spat vehemently.

"Ah, ah! Language Chica" Bane waggled a finger.

"You betrayed us? Why?" Aqualad sounded shocked, but then she heard his voice in her head.

_Kid you need a running start_

"So I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying" Bane was continuing to reveal his plans completely unaware of their mental conversation

_God I love telepathy_

Swift was glad her mouth was covered because she was grinning.

Miss Martian's lips were pursed in a thin line as she tried to suppress her laughter as Bane finished his speech.

"Blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect" Bane pressed this thumb down. It hit air.

"With what?" Bane spun round to face Kid Flash who was leaning against a tree behind him. "This trigger thingy?" he pulled out the trigger and smirked.

Bane's face contorted. He rushed at Kid Flash but before he could hit he was hoisted into the air. Miss Martian turned him around to face them as Superboy stepped forwards.

"Finally" he grinned readying himself. Bane's eyes widened as he looked at Swift.

"Drop him" she smiled evilly.

Miss Martian let go.

* * *

The four teenage boys peered over a bush looking at the open expanse of the helicopter landing area, in front of the factory.

"There's Sportsmaster" Robin hissed focusing his binoculars as a blond haired man walked out in a hockey mask.

"You ready?" Kid looked back to Miss Martian and Swift who were both standing hidden in the shadows of the trees. Each were holding a set of the bombs Bane had planted in the tunnel. They both nodded before they both turned invisible.

"Kid go" Aqualad commanded. Kid pulled down his goggles and rushed forwards.

He knocked some goons off their feet and machine guns immediately rattled. Superboy then jumped into the middle.

The muscled creature he'd been fighting before turned to growl at him.

"Go again?"

The creature snarled and charged forwards before getting hit by a jet of water.

"Sorry not part of the plan" Superboy smiled at Aqualad who pushed the creature back with the water.

Superboy lurched forwards. Sportsmaster had taken out a gun and was shooting at his back. Thanks to his Kryptonian DNA Superboy wasn't even scratched.

Swift ignored her impulse to help and dragged Miss Martian into the back of the helicopter. She put down the bombs keeping the detonator. Just as they were about to exit, Sportmaster's back blocked them.

Miss Martian bumped into him and he took her down holding her in a head lock. Swift reappeared and aimed a kick. He caught her foot with one hand, and using her own momentum threw her aside. She crashed into someone and they rolled to the side.

It was Kobra's female minion, Shimmer. The woman recovered quickly and lunged at Swift who rolled aside as something thin and dark flew their way. It expanded into a dark thin cord and wrapped around Shimmer who fell to the floor.

Swift saw a black gloved hand enter her field of vision. She looked up at Robin who smiled, pulling her up. They turned to see Kobra standing there glaring at the two of them.

"I know you hate getting your hands dirty" Robin smirked. Swift snorted.

"Only too true" Kobra's glare hardened as he flung his red robe aside, to reveal a bare chest, dark leggings and red arm gauntlets."Even a god must stoop to conquer"

Robin quickly sped at Kobra who deflected his kick, and ducked as Swift punched at him. He flung each of them aside calmly. Then he noticed the detonator in Swift's hand.

Swift saw where he was looking and looked up at the sky. The helicopter had taken off. She jumped away as Robin aimed a punch at Kobra. She tossed the control.

"Miss Martian!" Miss Martian turned at the sound of her call and caught the detonator. She pressed it.

The back of the helicopter exploded. Swift didn't get to see it land on the factory and explode because Kobra tossed Robin aside and lunged for her, grabbing her around the throat.

He squeezed hard with one hand and Swift spluttered as she was lifted into the air. Robin roared in anger and rushed towards them. Kobra saw him and with his free hand tossed him down to the floor. He pressed his foot into Robin's chest.

"I am plagued by mosquitoes"

"Good" Robin grunted. He could see Swift's face begin to turn blue. "Because this mosquito's mighty concerted about your pain!"

He flipped his legs in a whirling action, freeing himself. He flipped backwards as the other members of the team ran up to his aid.

Kobra narrowed his eyes. He knew he was outnumbered. He loosened his grip on Swift's neck and pulled her into a headlock as he stepped backwards.

"Another time then" he dropped Swift to the ground as he blended into the shadows.

Robin rushed forwards to check the bushes. Kobra was gone.

He turned back to the group. Miss Martian was fussing over Swift who was gulping down huge amounts of air. She looked up and grinned at them all as Robin knelt down beside her.

"We picked the right guy to lead" Robin looked up at Aqualad. "Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman"

Swift resisted the urge to laugh with Robin as Aqualad's face turned pale.

* * *

**Mount Justice, August 4, 10:06 EDT**

They were all dressed in civilian clothes and standing in line. Batman strode before them his aura darker than ever.

"A simple recon mission,  **observe**  and  **report**." He snapped in Kaldur's face. The teenager didn't respond but his gaze did become a little too concentrated to be considered normal. Batman continued to pace.

"You'll  **each**  receive a written evaluation detailing your  **many**  mistakes. Until then…"

Christine winced expecting the explosion. She was standing between Kaldur and Dick, with Miss Martian and Superboy at the other end.

"Good job"

She snapped her head up. Batman's posture had relaxed.

"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforseen is what determines success. And how you choose who leads…" he paused looking at Dick in particular. "And who follows in the chain of command…" he looked at Christine "Determines character.

Everyone smiled as Christine piped up.

"So, since we did ok…does this mean I'm not grounded anymore" she grinned hopefully. Following her trip to CADMUS Bruce had confiscated her motorbike the Swift-Cycle for the rest of the month. It had only been two weeks but Christine's fingers were already itching for the feel of its handles.

Batman stiffened as she looked up at him with large puppy dog eyes from behind a new pair of glasses.

"…No" he smirked.

Dick cackled as Christine groaned in defeat.


	7. Episode 5: Schooled

_**Happy Harbour, August 3 2010, 11:23 EDT** _

Christine Evelyn Hallows sat on an outside table of a small burger joint. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a low ponytail and her glasses were set high up on the bridge of her nose as she read a book. She was wearing a white summer dress with a light lavender camisole on top, and small black ballet flats.

_Hmm…maybe I can take these off…no one's looking_

Christine took off her glasses and pulled out a compact mirror and a small case. Trying not to look too conspicuous she opened the case and set it down on the table. Holding her compact in one hand she carefully prodded a slender fingertip to her eyeball. She felt around for a tiny bit until finally a tiny disk of brown coloured plastic stuck to her skin. She placed it in the small case before carefully prodding her other eye for another brown plastic disc.

A few seconds later both contact lenses were safely being tucked away in their case and a blurred pair of bright purple coloured irises were staring back at Christine from her compact.

She put her glasses back on and the world turned back to 20/20 sharpness.

She checked her watch.

It had been ten minutes since her adoptive brother; Richard "Dick" Grayson and one of her best friends Wally West had gone up to the counter to order their meals. Dick's was a large quarter pound chicken double stack, Christine's was the medium chicken and avocado single and Wally had ordered two triple stack large beef burgers with extra large fries.

_Is there a large line or something?_

She raised her head about to turn to see inside the joint when a flash of red caught her eye.

She looked down the length of the pavement and saw a shiny red Rolls Royce park itself a few meters away. The driver, a man dressed in a pinstripe grey suit hopped out and stood to open the back door.

A woman stepped out. She was tall and slim, with pale skin that contrasted starkly with her jet black tight office dress and dark brown fur coat. Her white blond hair was in a short bob cut which framed her high cheekbones and smooth made up skin.

The woman thanked her driver tersely before making her way up the pavement. She caught sight of Christine and flexed her red painted claw like nails around her handbag as her blood red lips curled in a small sneer. Purple met hazel as they caught each other's eyes for the briefest of moments before the blonde haired woman turned her head and briskly walked to the tall building next door

Christine kept her eye on the woman as she stalked into a large building with bold lettering over the archway saying Rouge Records.

"What a lovely charming person"

"Yeah a real snake charmer"

She turned to see Wally and Dick both standing there each with a heavily laden trays. They settled themselves down on either side of her with grim smirks

"She's more of a snake than a charmer" Christine grunted "is that mine?" she pointed to the coke bottle and Dick nodded and she took a sip.

"IstilcomfbelwevethagthatScharetchtawasishurmoder" Wally said his mouth stuffed with fries

"Translation please?" Dick raised his eyebrows and Christine snorted.

"He said ' I still can't believe that that Scarlett Tailors is your  **mother** '. Nor can I for that matter. But then again she has always been a nasty bitch-I mean a witch" she added quickly.

"Perfect description and perfect translation" Wally wheezed. He'd just gulped down a mass of what had once been his first burger down his throat in one go.

"Well if I want to become a successful linguist I have to have grounding in every language I can find, even Wally talk"

"Hey I speak English just fine" Wally waggled a warning finger and Dick smirked.

"Not when your face is stuffed like a pigs."

"Dick don't be so mean" Christine laughed playfully bumping her shoulder with his. Wally eyed their faces waiting for the lovebird money shot before jumping in surprise.

"Err…Christine?"

"hmm?" She looked at him puzzled by his frazzled expression.

"…your eyes"

"Wha-What about them?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Well…they're…purple…" he pointed out.

"She took off her contacts" Dick explained. He smiled softly as Christine gave a small shy smile as biting her bottom lip she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"What? You mean…this…" Wally coughed as composed himself "that's your  **real**  eye colour"

She nodded.

Wally sank back in his chair and groaned. "First you don't tell me about the superpowers, and then there is the eyes what comes next? You can pull a rabbit out of a-"

Wally couldn't finish his sentence because Dick had taken the second of his burgers and shoved it in his mouth.

"Knew there was an off switch for his mouth! So Missy Chrissie what time is it?"

"11:40" Christine looked at her watch again "if we finish in fifteen minutes we can make it early for training by 1:00. And please don't call me that in public"

"Why not it's cute" Dick smirked and she blushed a rosy pink.

"I thought Black Canary was coming at quarter past?" Wally rolled his eyes as he began tucking into burger #2 with gusto.

"Yeah but Dinah tends to come early so it's best if we get there before she does"

"Is it true that she's hotter in person?" Wally asked dreamily.

"She was there when we came to the cave for the first time? Surely you checked her out?" Christine scrunched up the now empty wrapping of her burger and settled into her fries.

"Not really" Wally smirked. He leaned in to whisper into Christine's ear "I was too busy checking  **you**  out"

It worked like a charm. Dick's bright blue eyes flashed dangerously and he slammed his drink down, small drops of chocolate milkshake spraying a little on his corner of the small table.

Wally jumped away from Christine and stared wide eyed at Dick.

"Sorry…" he mumbled but Dick still glared at him. People had now turned to watch them from their own tables with interest.

"Why don't we go…uh…get some ice cream before we go to meet the others huh?" Christine tried to smile but it came out awkwardly. She quickly grabbed Dick's hand in her own

He turned to look at her. Violet eyes gazed into his own, pleading him to calm down as he felt a gentle squeeze on his hand.

"Yeah lets go" he sighed standing up Wally sighed too, though his came more from relief than anything else.

He'd only meant to ruffle boy birdies feathers a little, not incur the wrath of a bat!

Maybe he should just stick to flirting with M'gann from now on.

_**_**Mount Justice, August 3 2010, 13:06 EDT** _ ** _

Swift watched interestedly from her spot next to Robin. They were watching a holographic air hockey match between Aqualad and Kid Flash and it was getting pretty intense.

Swift bit her lip. They'd been doing rounds in which the winners would verse each other. After winning fantastically against Robin, Swift had gone against Aqualad.

Him being Atlantian and not having much knowledge of the "surface world", Swift had thought it was going to be easy, much to her cost. She looked up at the holographic scoreboard down at the tally for her match.

10 - 0, Aqualad Win

Upon meeting him, Swift would never have thought that Aqualad would have such a competitive streak in him, but then again she wasn't one to talk. Just place her in front of a Nintendo console, plug in Mario Kart and it was on!

Kid Flash quickly landed a goal and Aqualad scowled. The speedster grinned and took a bite out of his banana.

_Recognised Superboy B05_

The robotic female voice announced.

Superboy exited a Zeta tube, positively seething.

"Hello Superboy," Miss Martian smiled as he walked through the holographic board "How was Metropolis?"

He didn't answer but walked on ahead.

"Ready for training everyone?" came a quiet but strong feminine voice.

They all turned as a tall blond walked in accompanied by a green skinned bald man

"Black Canary. Uncle J'ohn!" M'gann squealed excitedly running up to hug her mentor. After pulling away Martian Manhunter put a hand on her shoulder.

"M'gann I was in the neighbourhood, so I thought I'd see how you were adjusting"

"A few bumps but I'm learning"

"That's all I can ask" the Martian man smiled softly.

Behind her mask Swift looked worriedly at Superboy who was trying to sneak out of the room. His face had gone from seething to completely dejected. In the short time she'd known the clone she'd grown quite fond of him, like he was her little brother. Yes little brother. He may have the appearance of a muscled sixteen year old super dude but his mind was like a child's. Not that he lacked academic knowledge, but his emotional awareness was still very rough around the edges.

"Stick around" Black Canary had also noticed Superboy leaving. "Class is in session."

Superboy stopped in his tracks and turned with his arms crossed as the blonde leaguer stood in the centre of the room. A white holographic circle spread out wide under her black boots. She gripped the collar of her blue jacket.

"I consider it an honour to be your teacher. I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learnt from my own mentors. Urgh! And my own bruises" she winced as she shrugged off the jacket from her left shoulder. Swift saw her grip a bandage over her arm.

"What happened?" M'gann asked worriedly.

"The job" Canary threw her jacket aside and stood before them hands on her hips.

"Now combat is about  **controlling**  conflict, putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting never  **reacting**. I'll need a sparring partner."

"Right here!" Kid flash called out hurriedly chewing the remainder of his banana "after this…swish" he tossed the peel to the bin "I'll show you my moves" he waggled his eyebrows and grinned.

Black Canary smirked and without warning lunged. Thanks to his superfast reflexes Kid managed to just block it with his arm in time before being swept off his feet with a low kick.

He crashed to the floor with a loud thump as a small circle appeared on the holographic floor beneath him.

_Kid Flash fail_

"Ughh…it hurts so good…"

"Good block," Canary helped him up easily with one arm "But did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"oh! oh! He hit on teacher and got served?" Robin was positively bouncing up and down.

"Dude!" Kid cried out as Swift rolled her eyes behind her mask.

"He allowed me to dictate the terms of-"

"Oh please"

Black Canary turned to look at Superboy eyebrows raised.

"With  **my**  powers the battle is always on my terms. I'm a living weapon and this is a waste of my time"

"Prove it" Canary smirked.

Superboy's gaze hardened as he and Canary both readied themselves into fighting stances.

He punched hard, but she blocked it before grabbing his arm. Using his forwards momentum she flipped him across the circle. With a hard thud he landed on his back on the ground.

Robin's gleeful cackle was interrupted by Aqualad's nudge and Swift's hand over his mouth.

Superboy was up on his feet again, snarling angrily.

"You're angry, good" Canary nodded "But don't react. Channel that anger into-"

She dodged quickly as he charged again. She blocked him before flipping over his head. Superboy whipped around to face her but fell onto his back again as she crouched low and swept her leg under his feet.

Robin giggled as Black Canary reached down to help Superboy up, but he pushed her away.

"That's it" he growled "I'm done!"

"Training is mandatory" she tried to put a hand on his shoulder but he pushed that off too, glaring fiercely.

Swift removed her hand from Robin's mouth about to step forwards to intervene when an alert sounded for a holographic transmission.

They all rushed over as the Batman's face became visible. The others may not have been able to see it but Swift and Robin could. He was positively exhausted. The cowl hid his face but his posture was sagging with fatigue.

"Batman to the Cave. Five hours ago a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary." Another holographic screen appeared alongside Batman's face. It showed the league attacking a strange figure in their midst "The attacker was capable of studying and duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous, as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant"

"Whoa…" Kid Flash breathed beside her. "One guy with the powers of the entire league?"

"Please tell me the League managed to take him down" Swift gulped as the video replayed Superman being spun around the figure's head as easily as a rag doll.

Batman nodded gravely.

"In the end it took eight leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android"

"An android?" Swift and Robin shouted in unison.

"Who made it? T.O. Morrow" Robin asked

"Good guess Robin, but no. Red tornado doesn't think so"

"The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo" Martian Manhunter explained.

"Ivo?" Aqualad breathed in shock "But Ivo's dead"

"Or so we thought…or hoped" Black Canary admitted grimly as Batman nodded.

"To make certain this threat is permanently neutralised, we're sending two trucks carrying the androids parts to two separate STAR Lab facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation. Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo, or anyone, tries to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks."

"Yes! Road trip!" Kid Flash hissed in excitement.

"So now we take out your trash?" Superboy growled at Batman.

"You had something better to do" beneath his cowl Batman's eyebrows were raised. Superboy scowled and folded his arms.

"Uh…if we're going to follow the truck…does this mean…" Swift bit her lip.

"You'll all be provided with the appropriate clothes and bikes. And yes Swift, Yours will be there too."

Swift whooped in delight and she jumped up in the air excitedly. Batman's lips gave a small twitch as he quickly hid a smirk.

"They're all parked in the launch bay with the co-ordinates of the trucks starting point. It's up to you to decide which truck to follow. Batman out."

All the holo-screens went off as Aqualad turned to the team.

"Everyone meet in the launch bay, in civilian clothes. Keep your superhero gear ready as well just in case." They all nodded and rushed off to get changed.

Swift darted into her room and found a change of clothes lying on her bed. There was a black leather bike jacket with purple lining and stripes along the arms, a plain white T-shirt and a pair of dark skinny jeans. Swift ignored the shirt and just put on the jacket and jeans, on top of her hero outfit. She kept her hero mask on. She hated driving with her glasses on.

She then went to her desk draw and pulled from its depths two rectangular objects. To the normal eye they would seem like a normal paper fan. In reality these were custom made Japanese war fans with metal plating, sharpened at the edges to slice through tough metals. They were both black with her S insignia painted in purple on the middle. She slid each one into her belt at the sides and hid them under the jacket quickly.

She exited her room and headed for the launch bay where six motorbikes were stationed in two row s of three waiting for their riders. Swift went to the one in the middle of the back row. It was black, slick and shiny with purple grips on the handlebars and purple for the main touch screen and leather seat. She rushed over to it and grabbed her helmet which was hanging off one of the handles before hopping on.

"Oh Yeah…" she smirked as the engine roared to life "Listen to that baby purr"

_**_**Litchfield County, August 3 2010, 20:08 EDT** _ ** _

The six teenage heroes sat stationed on their bikes, concealed by a clump of bushes. Just a few meters away two of the six trucks were loaded with two heavy boxes, watched closely by Batman, Green Arrow, Flash and Superman.

The latter turned to look in their direction. The Big Blue Boy Scout turned away hurriedly as soon as he caught sight of the largest teen boy with a red and black jacket.

Swift's domino masked eyes narrowed as the boy's knuckles flexed on his bike's handlebars.

So that was what was pissing Superboy off so much huh?

The guards were hopping into the trucks. They all put on their helmets as Batman gave the drivers a signal.

As soon as the trucks left, the bikes followed with Swift and Aqualad at the head. Once they hit the road they split off into two teams. Aqualad led Kid Flash and Miss Martian whilst Swift led Superboy and Robin.

They drove in silence for around thirty minutes or so. Swift was ahead her thoughts drifting back to the way Superman had turned away so quickly just minutes ago.

Swift had not always been on friendly terms with the Man of Steel but she'd always thought that despite his annoyingly goody-two-shoes attitude he'd be the kind of person to man up and take responsibility. So she was quite amazed to hear from Batman that the hero was shirking his duties as a mentor/father figure. Then again she didn't know why she was so surprised. She knew better than most that some people appear to be amazing on the outside but in reality make shit parents. Her mother was living proof of that.

She was so lost in thought that Robin's voice appeared distant in her head as he piped up.

"If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster? See, instead of things going wrong they go right"

Normally by now Swift would've given him an annoyed sigh, but this time she stayed silent as did Superboy.

"Clearly neither of you are feeling the aster. What's wrong?"

"Canary," Superboy grunted "I mean what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?"

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig; Canary learned that the hard way. Same with Batman and well…me and Swift"

"Swift and I" Swift snorted in annoyance as Superboy sped up to drive in front of her.

"Whatever" Robin huffed but he was smiling under his helmet.

"Argh! Robin you really love to butcher the english language don't you?"

"One of my many gifts" he smirked. Swift sped up level with Superboy.

"Listen. You may not believe this but I know how bad it feels. I know how angry it gets you every time the person you look up to doesn't give you even so much as a sideways glance; how infuriating it is to have powers and not know what you're supposed to do with them. What I mean to say is you're not alone, and you don't have to isolate yourself either. If Superman is being a Super-douche to you again you can talk to any of us, including Black Canary. She'll listen. We all will."

Superboy briefly turned to look at her and through the glass front of the helmet he saw her sad smile.

He had heard her tone in her voice, her heart beat. She wasn't lying; she truly meant what she said. But he didn't know what to say back. He turned back to the road.

Swift saw his slightly more relaxed face through his helmet and sighed with relief but then…

The wind had shifted. Not in the usual way it flew past when she drove but rather like a hand giving her a soft but painful nudge. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end.

"Swift?" Robin asked nervously.

"Something's wrong" Swift gulped as another strange gust hit her, carrying a strange sound. She listened closely. Someone or something was...

"laugh-" Swift was interrupted as something small and dark swooped in from above and latched itself onto the truck. It was metallic and shaped rather like … a monkey…

"Holy crap" she muttered about to reach up to her com when Aqualad's voice cried out from it.

" _Robin, Swift, Superboy! Our truck is under attack!"_

"Kinda figured" Robin replied.

"So is ours" Swift prepped her Bike into autopilot and it immediately sped up to catch up to the truck. She took out her belt and wrapped it around her waist.

"I hate monkeys" Superboy growled.

"Robot monkeys!" Robin cackled "Totally Ivo's tweak style"

"Now all we need is a green witch on a broomstick and we're set" Swift mumbled darkly into her com as she jumped off her bike she flipped onto the back of the truck.

She heard the laughter of Kid Flash in her ear mingle with the monkeys weird shrieks as the truck swerved. Swift held on tight as Robin switched his bike to battle mode.

She took off her helmet, swiping the monkeys with it before seeing Superboy jump off his bike. It skidded and swerved and crashed into both Swift's and Robin's bikes.

As Robin jumped off his own bike Swift felt one of the robot monkeys land on her head.

The truck swerved again. Swift cried out in pain as the monkey on her head pulled at her hair with hard fingers. She tried to bash her head back into the truck door. But the monkey held on, cackling madly. She heard a voice beside her cry.

"Stay still!" Swift shut her eyes as she felt Robin's foot kick the monkey off her head.

"Thanks" She sighed in relief shaking out her hair. The monkey had destroyed her custom bun and now her hair was loosely flowing in the wind.

She heard a cry as some of the monkey's lifted Superboy up into the air and dropped him behind the truck

They both flipped to the top of the truck. Robin pulled out his eskrima sticks and Swift pulled out her war fans and flipped them open.

The two birds moved seamlessly together, looking more like partners dancing than fighting. Robin's moves were agile but strong, and Swifts were graceful and sharp as they hit and sliced through the robot monkeys.

_If only they could just be blown away by something_

Swift thought desperately as another monkey aimed for her hair again.

Then it happened. She'd been aiming a swipe with her fan at six of the monkeys. However instead of hitting them and slicing through, a gust of wind seemed to wrap around her hand. It burst from her and the monkeys were thrown back onto the road.

Swift didn't understand, nor did she have time to as Superboy landed again beside them. The monkeys switched to their new target as some others laser eyed the roof of the truck and sped in.

Another pair of monkey's dive bombed her off the roof. Quickly she aimed her grapple gun to the side of the truck and latched on as she heard the sound of a loud pop. She turned and saw that the pair of monkey's had sneakily went and used their laser eyes on the truck's tyres. She kicked them away and they both crashed into the road, but the damage was done. She clambered sideways to the front where the poor driver was panicking as more monkey's bombarded his windshield. Swift jumped onto the hood in front and called out loudly.

"Robin the driver!" Swift crouched low to hold on to as the truck twisted dangerously. She heard a thump as Robin landed above the driver's roof

"Get out!" he yelled to the terrified man driving the vehicle as Swift opened the door from the outside. Taking the man by the shoulders they both leapt out of the moving truck. They flew through the air, right into a thankfully dry pasture.

Swift heard a bang, then shrieks of the monkeys' laughter as they sped off into the sky carrying a large container.

Sighing she helped Robin with the injured driver over to the road. He slumped to the side as in the distance Superboy flipped the truck off himself before super jumping away.

"Superboy" Swift and Robin both cried out, but Superboy was already about a kilometre away.

Swift's com went off in her ear.

" _Aqualad to Swift and Robin. Lost our cargo, did you-"_

"It's gone" Robin groaned at the mess around them.

"And so is Superboy…and my bike" Swift mumbled leaned into her partner's side. Robin flung an arm around her shoulders and gave it a short squeeze. She'd only just gotten her bike back today, and already it was destroyed.

" _Aqualad to Superboy."_  Aqualad called over the com. " _Radio your position. We'll help you."_

" _Don't need help! Don't want any!"_  Superboy growled

"Superboy" Swift and Aqualad said in unison.

"I'm pretty sure he ditched his com" Robin pointed out.

 _"Super"_  Kid Flash's sarcastic cry filled her ears " _Now we can't even track him"_

"You don't say" Swift scowled.

" _He's out of my telepathic range."_ Miss Martian said worriedly. " _This Professor Ivo, if he is alive, seems to be two steps ahead of us. Maybe we should contact Red Tornado?"_

Swift tuned out of the conversation as she spotted Robin walking over to one of the monkeys closest to them bending over it.

" _Where to look!"_ Swift smirked as she caught the tail end of Kids annoyed rant.

"Maybe we do" She grinned as Robin plugged in his holo computer to the monkey.

"We'd have heard by now if the decoy trucks were attacked" Robin explained as he decoded the software.

"Which means that the monkeys already knew exactly which of the trucks had the parts?" Swift peered around at all the monkeys around them before attaching her own computer to the one in Robin was holding.

"Yep" Robin popped the p as the screen flashed again. He grinned triumphantly "Hah! The parts have GPS!"

"The monkeys can track the signal!" Swift cried out happily.

"Which means we can track them with the one we've captured!" Robin finished.

They heard Aqualad, Miss Martian and Kid Flash's collective sigh of amusement in their coms.

"Looks like both sets are headed for…Gotham city?" Robin gasped looking on Swift's holo-screen as a map appeared

"Home sweet home" she mumbled.

" _That far south?"_ Aqualad asked incredulously. " _M'gann and I won't get there anytime soon. I'm sending Kid on ahead to meet you. Aqualad out."_

Swift and Robin both stood up, the latter pressing a couple of buttons on his glove.

"Definitely a disaster" Swift groaned as she peeled off her jeans and jacket to reveal her uniform.

"Heavy on the dis" Robin agreed doing the same. He turned his back on the driver and took off his shades. Swift smiled as she saw a flash of bright blue disappear behind his own domino mask He then looked at her oddly.

"What?" Swift started.

"Your hair" he pointed.

"Oh… Yeah well, that was the monkey's fault…you know back there" She jerked her thumb at the truck.

"I know…it's just …it looks nicer like this" Robin mumbled.

"Thanks" Swift blushed pink just as Robin's smaller battle mode bike came into view.

It stopped in front of them and Robin opened the seat.

"Spare" he tossed her a spare helmet which was just plain black before he hopped on first.

Swift sat behind him arms linked around his waist as he revved up the engine. To a bystander it would have been the perfect ending to a movie as the two teens began to drive off into the sunset.

However life is not so perfect…

"Uh Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"You do know Gotham city is in the opposite direction right?"

"What? Oh… yeah…"

"*sigh* Robin"

_**_**Metropolis, August 3 2010, 21:18 EDT** _ ** _

A middle aged man stood in front of a table in his diner waiting for the orders of two men sitting opposite each other. One was in a sharp black suit with hair slicked back neatly and the other was in a loose grey suit with large glasses obscuring his blue eyes.

"Apple pie" the one with glasses said.

"The devil's food" the sharply dressed man smiled

Bibbo took the two menus away from the table smiling. The two men were very valuable customers. The one with the glasses was his regular, the Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, and the other one in the black suit was none other than Bruce Wayne the billionaire philanthropist. Needless to say the latter's appearance at his diner was very good for business.

The two customers watched as Bibbo went off to issue orders to the kitchen.

"Something tells me this isn't about desert." Clark's pleasant demeanour changed instantly to serious.

"The boy needs you" Bruce said boldly.

Clark jumped. With Batman there was no beating about the bush…or a cave for that matter. The man of steel loosened his red tie.

"No. He needs you, he needs Red. I'm just a constant reminder of what he's not"

"Sorry Clark but your dead wrong" Bruce raised his eyebrows. He'd always found stubbornness to be one of Clark's more… frustrating traits, but this was just ridiculous.

"I know he…troubles you, but he's here. You have to get over the how and why. Trust me on this. The boy needs his father."

"No he doesn't. He has the team, he has Red, and he has you. I don't understand why you're so worried" he crossed his arms and glared.

Bruce's eyes hardened. "Because I'm not going to sit around and watch as another kid suffers because of their parent's selfishness."

Clark looked affronted.

"For the last time Bruce, I'm not his father" stood up and put on a grey hat. "I'll take that pie to go" he called to Bibbo through the kitchen window before going up to pay at the counter.

Bruce sighed and watched worriedly as Clark left the diner, as memories of a conversation from four years ago wafted through his mind.

* * *

"So now what happens?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…with Stuart gone won't you-"

"No"

"But-"

"I've said it once but I'll say it again. I want nothing to do with that little bitch"

"The one you call a bitch is your daughter"

"Daughter? Hah! Unlike you I have no time for taking care of a little whelp, especially since it's her fault that he's dead."

"Her fault?! She's just a child! How can you say that? How can you even think that?"

"Quite easily I assure you. Now if you wouldn't mind I have an interview with the Gotham Gazette that I simply cannot miss"

"This isn't over Scarlett."

"Oh no Bruce this little chat was over five minutes ago"

* * *

Bruce's hands clenched angrily. Even till this day he could never comprehend, as Bruce Wayne or Batman, how a person who was supposed to be a parent could not even care a hoot about their own child.

He felt his phone go off in his pocket and flipped it open, to see Christine's number on the screen.

"Hello"

" _Hey… Dad_!" he heard her voice awkwardly call through the receiver.

"How's it going?" Bruce replied casually.

" _uh…_ " he heard Dick's voice join hers. Bruce could just imagine them giving each other nervous glances.

" _You wanna tell him_ " Christine mumbled.

Bruce frowned. "Tell me what?" but he could already guess what it was.

" _It was your idea to tell him, so you do it! Besides I'm driving, I shouldn't be on the phone_ " Dick complained

"Ha! Ha! Very funny Mr. Road Safety rules" Christine snorted.

"What happened?" Bruce cut across firmly. Christine sighed.

" _Long story short. Tell the Justice League that the Bastard Professor Ivo is alive and that they better stand in line to break his head because I'm first."_

"Your bike is broken isn't it?" She didn't answer. Bruce took that as a yes.

"How did he know?" he lowered his voice as a waitress put his desert on a table. He nodded in thanks and she blushed scarlet before rushing off.

 _"He put GPS trackers inside the parts to his android which allowed his flying robot monkey's to locate the two real trucks and steal them_ " Dick said.

"Do you know where they're going" Bruce pretended to smile because Bibbo was giving him strange looks from inside the kitchen.

" _We've connected one of the monkey's we caught to the R-Cycle's computer. Ivo's taking the parts to Gotham"_

"Do you know where in Gotham?"

" _No_ ,  _they're just driving through. We're not even at the cities outskirts so it might take a while. Wally may join us soon. We had a lot of road to back-ah!"_

Christine's voice rose two octaves.

"What happened?"

" _Nothing. Just Boy Wonder being irritating as usual!_ "

Dick cackled.

Bruce sighed as a real small smile formed. "Keep me posted and Dick?"

" _Yeah Bruce?"_  Dick was probably smirking.

"Go easy on the curves"

_**_**Gotham City August 3 2010, 20:30 EDT** _ ** _

Swift sighed burying her forehead into Robin's cloaked shoulder as the beep signalled the connection breaking.

"Tired?" Robin smirked as they passed the sign marking the outskirts of Gotham city.

"You could say that. Ahhh…what I wouldn't give for one of Alfred's pumpkin pies"

"You said it"

Swift closed her eyes for a few moments enjoying the feel of the wind whipping by and the comforting warmth of her partner's body.

She couldn't see it but Dick's smile softened and he leaned back slightly into her hold. They wouldn't admit it to each other but these were the parts the two of them liked best when on a mission.

Swift felt another gust pass her ear, bringing with it a strange swishing sound.

She opened her eyes just as a flash of red and yellow came level with them. Kid Flash grinned as he looked sidelong at the two of them on the same bike.

"Two little lovebird's sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-"

"Wally!"

Robin and Swift both narrowed their eyes. The whole thing would've been threatening if it hadn't been for the fact that both their faces were redder than tomatoes

"Ooh touchy" he smirked as the two of them bristled.

"I see you've changed too" Robin called quickly.

"You kidding? Ugh! I feel naked in civies" Kid shivered.

"Thank you for sharing that lovely image Kid" Swift rolled her eyes.

Kid grinned apologetically. "Sorry. You still tracking the parts?"

"They were heading through Gotham" Robin started but Swift cut across him pointing to the screen.

"No see! They're veering now. Off to… Wait is that-"

"Dude they're headed for our school!"

They were within the city boundaries headed for a large building with wrought iron gates.

"They're at the indoor basketball court" Swift called as they turned a corner for a short cut.

"I don't know about you but I think that's the perfect spot for us to finally  _slam dunk_  that Ivo"

"You couldn't help yourself could you?" Swift groaned in exasperation as they sped past the school's large football pitch.

The basketball court was in sight. "Kid you take the left exit! Robin and I will take the right" Swift called as Robin parked the R-Cycle behind a tree.

Kid nodded and sped off. Robin and Swift took off their helmets and quickly hid the bike behind a bush, before sneaking off to the other pair of doors.

As they rushed they heard loud crashes and groans of pain. They peered through the door.

"Well we've found Superboy" Robin smirked.

"And the android" Swift narrowed her eyes as the android looked down on Superboy ready to deliver a kill strike.

They silently rushed through the doors just as Kid Flash sped Superboy out of the line of attack.

Swift and Robin jumped in front of them and aimed their own birdarangs at the anroid who said in a metalic voice.

" **Access Martian Manhunter** " he turned invisible and the birdarangs exploded on the wall behind.

" **Access Red Tornado** "

"Oh not again" Swift groaned as a twister appeared beneath the android and propelled him forwards.

Like with Mister Twister the whirlwind didn't affect Swift but it sent the other three flying in three different directions. The android landed in front of her and took several menacing steps which caused Swift to back into a wall.

" **Access Black Canary"**  it punched. Swift dove through the gap between its legs and rolled to her feet. The android turned to face her and rushed her, throwing fast but heavy punches.

Swift ducked out of most of them and flipped backwards on the last one. As she spun in mid air a powerful shrieking sound hit her ears. She grasped at them to block it out as she was blasted back into the floor, right next to Kid Flash.

They both sat up groggily.

" **Access Captain Atom** "

Kid grabbed her arm and sped them both behind the raised seats as a blast of golden light hit the point where they were just sitting.

She split from him half way and grapple gunned herself to the rafters.

Her gloves little inbuilt picks were sharp, if she could manage to cut some of the wires in the gaps of the android's shell…

She jumped on the android from above landing on its head. It swayed slightly as Swift tried to pry her fingers into the gaps where the head connected to the neck.

The android's arms circled back and grabbed her by the waist flinging her to the side as Kid and Superboy in turn tried rushing it.

"Gotcha!" she heard a grunt as she landed into something soft-ish.

She opened her eyes to see Robin's face hovering inches below hers. He smirked.

"Y'know we seem to be  _bumping_  into each other a lot nowadays"

"You're just full of them today aren't you" Swift rolled her eyes when she felt another gust of wind and a sharp twang.

She quickly rolled the two of them over as an arrow shot through the android and landed just inches from the spot they'd been lying in.

"So you like being on top huh?"

Swift looked down at Robin. Despite the dangerous situation around them he was grinning cheekily.

"hmm maybe" She smirked back and giggled as Robin turned pink.

A loud crash brought them back to reality as Superboy was sent flying into the seats.

They both extricated themselves from each other and aimed their birdarangs at him.

" **Access Superman** " Swift saw the android's eyes glow red.

Robin grabbed her and pulled her close under his cape. Not only was it good for stealth and gliding but was made out of a material that could keep out even the strongest of shrapnel and debris from hitting its wearer, however it wouldn't be much use against something like Superman's heat vision.

As the red beams of light approached them something hurtled from their side right into the two of them.

Swift groaned as she fell to the side covered by both Robin and Kid Flash. She heard Superboy as he roared.

"IT MAKES ME ANGRY!" she raised her head from under Robin's shoulder and saw Superboy jump on top of Ivo. The professor and his robot monkey's scuttled away in terror.

"Guy's get up! Guys" She hissed. Robin and Kid Flash sat up shakily and Swift jumped to her feet.

"WANNA SEE ME CHANNEL THAT ANGER?"

"Great he's gone ballistic again" Kid cried out when he spotted the angry Superboy bashing the chairs after Ivo.

"Maybe not" Robin and Swift shared a grin.

"Amazo, Protect your master! Priority Alpha!" Ivo cried out fearfully. As Amazo the android blasted at Superboy he he turned around to sneak away.

"Gah!" he shrieked. Swift smirked as she reappeared from the shadows.

"Leaving the party so soon."

Ivo tripped backwards down the steps. "And we were just going to bring out the games too" She giggled that eerie giggle which echoed throughout the entire court.

Ivo toppled on the floor and two of his monkey's lifted him up to hover.

"Anyone wanna play keep-away?" Robin asked kicking Ivo.

"Oh Me! Me" Kid Flash called excitedly.

" **Superman** " Amazo said and he stomped hard on the floor causing it to shake violently. Kid tripped and flew across the room again.

Swift and Robin both threw their birdarangs again.

" **Martian Manhunter** " Amazo density shifted again and the two birdarangs passed through him as Superboy landed in front of him. He stuck his arm in a punch to his head as Amazo said.

" **Superman** "

Amazo's head exploded, the metallic body falling to the ground with a loud clang.

"Help me disassemble him! Now!" Robin called.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Swift grinned rushing down the steps as Robin went to the android's side.

"Dude, the guy has no head" Kid limped over to them massaging his shoulder.

"Don't take any chances" they all turned to see Aqualad and Miss Martian rush through the doors from the courtyard.

"Superboy, are you all right" the Martian girl flew over to Superboy and helped him stand.

"Fine," Superboy smiled "Feeling the aster" he grinned at Robin and Swift who both grinned back, before turning to disassemble the android.

"Hey! Where's Ivo?" Kid cried out. They all looked around. Ivo was nowhere to be seen.

"We need to do a perimeter search now!" Aqualad ordered.

"No point." Aqualad looked at her surprised, but Swift continued on calmly as she took off Amazo's breastplate.

"The monkeys would've flown him out of the City's perimeter by now and he'll be long gone by the time we've checked the whole school. Robin pull up that blue one"

"She's got a point" Robin agreed as he held out the blue wire for her to cut.

Aqualad sighed helping Kid Flash to one of the seats close by as Miss Martian helped Superboy.

"So now what?" Kid asked taking off a boot from his injured leg.

"Now you all go back to the cave and await instruction" a deep voice rumbled.

Everyone except Robin and Swift jumped as Batman stepped out of the shadows.

_****_Mount Justice, August 4 2010, 01:06 EDT_ ** ** _

They all stood in the mission room with Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter.

As Team leader Aqualad did most of the talking with the occasional additions of Swift as she had led the New York team down south.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again. Safely being analysed at the two separate Star Labs. But Ivo escaped, and since he originated the tech, he's arguably more dangerous than the android"

"Capturing the Professor will be a league priority" Black Canary nodded.

"But we understand your mission encountered…other complications" Martian Manhunter folded his arms.

Everyone shot a glance at Superboy who looked down at the ground.

"Complications come with the job" Batman stepped up. "Your ability to handle them have impressed the league"

"The whole league?" Superboy looked up hopefully.

"Given time, yes. Kryptonian's as you know have very hard heads"

"And thick skulls" Swift mumbled. Superboy looked down again grinning.

"Of course there's no shame in asking for help, that's why the League exists. Because there are some problems even we can't handle individually."

"Please" Robin spat out annoyed "If we needed help, we'd never get the chance to ask. Look familiar?" he held out the mysterious arrow from earlier.

Batman took it and examined it closely as Robin continued to rant.

"You were following us, babysitting! You still don't trust us!"

"We didn't follow you" Batman said calmly as Green Arrow took the arrow and examined it. He pulled out an arrow from his quiver.

Swift gulped. The arrow tip on the one he'd pulled out had a jagged edge and the one they'd found was smooth and more generic in shape.

"And that's not your arrow" Robin deflated. Swift looked at the arrows thoughtfully

"But that means-" she began.

"Speedy!" Kid Flash interrupted her

"He has our backs" Aqualad agreed before Kid sped over and grabbed the arrow

"Souvenir!" he grinned.

Swift turned as Superboy walked over to Black Canary.

"I'm ready" he mumbled apologetically.

"Good because I'm here." She smiled. Superboy turned to look back at Swift who smirked.

"Told you so" She poked her tongue out cheekily.

Super boy grinned again before grabbing her and playfully ruffling her loose hair. The team smiled warmly as they heard her small giggles mix with his deeper chuckles.

Batman looked down at the two of them. Half of him found the scene quite amusing but another half, the stronger protective paternal part of his personality, found that the Superboy was a bit too close to his  _daughter_  for comfort.

He looked down at Robin, who was also looking at the pair with a small frown.

It took all his concentration to resist the urge to break the two of them apart. Instead he opted for clearing his throat loudly.

"Swift! Robin! We're headed back to Gotham. Now!"

Swift ducked out from under Superboy's arms and smiled and waved goodbye as she entered the Zeta-tube. Robin slung an arm around her shoulders as she joined him.

There was a flash of yellow light and the Bat Clan disappeared

"Bats" Green Arrow shook his head.

"Always so paranoid and possessive." Canary smirked.

"Indeed" Martian Manhunter sighed as Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Superboy headed for the showers. "One can only wonder what will happen when…"

"When what?" Canary quirked an eyebrow. Green Arrow put his arrow back in his quiver and turned to her grinning

"When little missy gets a boyfriend"

"Ahhh!"

The Leaguers, minus Red Tornado, all grinned at each other knowingly. Oh when that day would come, Batman wouldn't know what would hit him.


	8. Episode 6: Infiltrator

**Wayne Manor, August 8 2010, 03:43 EDT**

Bruce Wayne was curled up in his king sized bed and had just shut his eyes when a tap came at his door. It wasn't Alfred's customary knock, but a small soft tap.

"Who is it?" He groaned.

"It's me" said a small voice through the door.

Bruce's eyes snapped open at once.

"Come in" he called.

Christine trudged into the room wearing an oversized Batman T-shirt and little yellow shorts.

"The nightmare again?" he said taking in her haggard face and very bright eyes

She nodded tears beginning to stream like an overflowing tap.

Bruce's gaze softened and he pulled up the covers.

"Come on" He couldn't help but smile as she scrambled quickly beneath the covers. She crawled in beside him snuggling under his armpit into his side as he pulled the covers over her.

She hiccupped slightly and Bruce put a large hand on her head. She buried her head in his T-shirt as he began stroking his fingers through her hair.

"It's ok. I got you. Daddy's got you."

* * *

**Mount Justice, August 8 2010, 09:58 EDT**

Christine was wearing a purple one piece and white flip flops, with her hair loose and shades covering her eyes. Good thing too. They were still pretty red from last night.

She stretched enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin as the green figure of M'gann swished past, red boogie board in hand.

"Hello Megan! We should hit the beach every day!" She pointed to the water as, Christine, Dick, Kaldur, and Superboy and stepped out behind her.

"First a moment of silence for our absent colleague" Dick sighed in an overly sad tone.

"Poor Wally" M'gann pouted.

_Poor Wally indeed._

Wally went to a public school and it was his first day today, unlike Dick and Christine, who both would have been starting next week had Ivo's Amazo android not destroyed part of it. Now they both had three extra weeks of holidays.

"Well rather him than me!" Christine smiled as a gust of wind flew through her hair playfully. She took a deep breath before poking Dick's shoulder.

"Hey!" he called as she rushed away giggling into the water.

"Last one to the water's a rotten egg" she laughed as she heard splashes behind her. She stopped and looked around when the water level reached her waist. Kaldur, M'gann and Superboy were all wading towards her but Dick was nowhere to be seen.

"Di-Robin!" Christine corrected herself just in time. She saw something dark blue in the corner of her eye and turned. But nothing was there. She narrowed her eyes.

"Robi-GAH!" she shrieked in surprise as a pair of arms looped around her waist from behind and lifted her upwards, tossing her into the air before she landed with a large splash front on into the water.

She spluttered trying to pull her hair out of her shades as Dick cackled wickedly behind her.

All in all it was a fun day. The five of them spent three hours playing in the water before Kaldur suggested a game of Volley ball. As there were five of them, Christine decided to set up the picnic rug and barbeque whilst simultaneously keeping the others scores.

"Guys food's ready!" She called after an hour or so. They all rushed over. Dick tapped her left shoulder and, when she turned, leaned over her right shoulder and snagged a bite from her sausage.

"Hey!"

He grinned devilishly as she pouted. The others exchanged looks of amusement and exasperation. They finished their meals and one by one flopped down onto their backs in the sand.

"Ahhh" Christine looked up at the clear blue sky.

She heard the sound of snickering and raised her head slightly. Dick, Kaldur and M'gann were collecting sand in the buckets they'd brought along. She looked next to her and saw Superboy lying down beside her. He was lying quite still and his eyes were shut gently.

"Superboy?" she whispered.

"I'm awake" he said still keeping his eyes shut.

"What are you doing?"

"Listening"

"Oh" Christine looked back up at the sky and closed her eyes too. "What are you listening to?"

"I don't know. Swift?"

"Um hmm"

"Have you ever wished you could fly?"

Christine opened her eyes and looked again at Superboy. His eyes were open and he was looking at the sky with a longing expression.

"Yes"

Christine looked back up and watched as a bird hovered high above them.

"Where would you want to fly to?"

Superboy asked as the bird tilted its wings and circled round. Christine sighed.

"Anywhere, because I'd be free"

Superboy looked at her again. Her eyes were shut and her breathing slowly turned steady.

"Yeah…free" he smiled as he too closed his eyes.

* * *

They all stood in the main hall of the cave with Batman. Christine, or rather Swift as she was in her hero gear, scratched her head. There was still sand stuck in her hair no matter how hard she'd scrubbed at it in the showers. Even M'gann had tried to help.

She pulled her hand out of her tied up hair and felt her bun loosen.

"Argg…I don't believe this!" She rolled her eyes before undoing it and shaking it out.

Batman narrowed his eyes at her before glancing at Robin. The Boy Wonder was looking at his partner with a soft endearing smile as she combed her hair through her slender black gloved fingers. She giggled as he stepped forwards to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Batman's eyes narrowed even more. He'd always been mindful about the nature of his two sidekicks' relationship, especially since they were both hormonal teenagers. Up till now he'd always thought that the two of them were rather like a pair of twins, inseparable, warm and mischievous but now… just what was happening between the two? Needless to say he found the uncertainty incredibly aggravating…

**_Recognised Green Arrow 08, Artemis B07_ **

Robin and Swift jumped apart and Batman stiffened as a Zeta tube opened and Green Arrow stepped out followed by a teenage girl. She had tanned skin and blond hair like Green Arrow. Like him she too wore green but wore a sleeveless cropped top with a lighter arrow symbol. On the bottom she wore matching green leggings with black combat boots, utility belt and knee pads, green fingerless gloves and a green quiver filled with arrows. Her slanted blue eyes were assessing them all coldly from within a green mask, her blond hair in a low ponytail swishing as she went to stand in front of them. In her hands was a large green bow.

Green Arrow coughed and stepped forwards.

"Team I would like to introduce Artemis, your new teammate"

Swift glanced at the girls quiver and glanced at Batman who nodded.

She caught Robin's eye and he raised his eyebrows in confirmation.

So SHE was the one with the mystery arrow huh?

Aqualad was the first to recover he stepped forwards holding out his hand. "I'm Aqualad, the team's leader."

"Nice to meet you" she shook his hand tersely before letting go. Aqualad glanced nervously at Swift who took his cue and stepped forwards.

"This is my second in command Swift"

Swift extended her hand and Artemis took in a hard grip as her eyes swept up and down her as she sized her up. Swift nodded, as her mouth was covered, strengthening her grip and the white slits in her domino mask narrowed.

_Partial Asian roots. Her muscle tone suggests extensive, possibly years, of conditioning and training. Most likely the training was very harsh considering her defensive and aggressive body language._

She mused as Artemis shook hands with the rest of them.

"I thought you said there were six people already on this team?" Artemis turned to Green Arrow and Batman with raised eyebrows.

"Kid Flash is on his way" Swift smirked behind her mouth mask. Only Robin and Swift and occasionally Superboy ever talked to the Batman so brashly, the girl must have more guts than she thought.

"I'm sure you two will get along famously" Miss Martian clapped her hands together delightedly as a Zeta tube opened behind them.

**_Recognised Kid Flash B04_ **

Wally tumbled through the tube wearing his red and yellow beach wear, carrying a caddy, a beach-ball and a surfboard with lots of suntan lotion on his nose.

"The Wall Man is here! Lets get this party start-" he tripped and the entire lot flew out of his hands. Batman tilted his head to the side as the colourful beach ball flew his way. It missed and he narrowed his eyes.

"-ted" Wally looked up at them all slightly abashed.

Robin buried his face into Swift's shoulder to stifle his laughter.

"Wall man huh? Oh I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?" Artemis smirked smugly as she stood to tower over Wally who looked up taking notice of her for the first time.

"Uh who's this?" he asked standing up.

"Artemis, your new teammate"

Wally glanced at Swift and Robin who both shrugged. He turned back to Artemis his eyes narrowed.

"Kid Flash. Never heard of you"

"She's my new protégé" Green Arrow put an arm around Artemis's shoulder.

"What happened to your old one" Wally exclaimed as another Zeta tube opened. They all turned as the computerised voice stated.

**_Recognised Speedy B07_ **

"Well for starters he doesn't go by Speedy anymore"

Swift's eyebrows went even higher than she could have even thought as the auburn haired teen stepped towards them.

"Call me Red Arrow"

He was wearing a sleeveless stealth suit, mostly black with a red chest and collar. His quiver was attached by two dark grey shoulder straps and his hands were covered by black gloves.

"Wow…" she breathed.

He smirked her way and gave her a small wink. Swift gulped, feeling her face heat up slightly under her mask. Batman and Robin both snapped their heads to look at her, both sets of eyes narrowed. Swift turned to look at the floor.

"Roy…" Green Arrow stood still in shock "you look-"

"Replaceable" Roy, or rather Red Arrow, snapped glaring at his old mentor.

"It's not like that" Green Arrow shook his head "You told me you were going solo"

"So why waste time finding a sub? Can  _she_  even use that bow?" Red Arro sneered at Artemis who folded her arms and spat back.

"Yes  _she_  can"

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Wally cried out in exasperation.

"I'm his/She's my niece" the two green archers said in unison.

"Another niece?" Robin and Swift both quirked eyebrows at Green Arrow who gave them a sheepish grin, though inside he was fuming in frustration.

_Damn Bat's and their genius intellect_

"But she's not your replacement" Aqualad calmly interjected "We have always wanted you on the team. And we have no quota on archers"

"And if we did, you know who we'd pick" Wally added glaring at Artemis who sighed.

"Whatever Baywatch I'm here to stay!"

Swift's smirk was growing wider. Forget the G-gnomes, CADMUS could run for years off the grid with the amount of electricity crackling between these two.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" She asked Robin softly as he looped his arms around her from behind and put his chin on her shoulder.

"You have no idea"

She shook her head smiling fondly.

"You came to us for a reason" Aqualad stated.

"Yeah a reason named Dr. Serling Roquette"

"Oh!" Swift pulled up her purple holo computer and began typing away.

"Nano-robotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City." Robin read over her shoulder as several holo screens appeared around them.

"Didn't she vanish two weeks ago?" Swift looked up at Red Arrow

"Abducted two weeks ago" He nodded. "By the League of Shadows"

"Whoa! You want us to rescue her from the shadows?" Robin exclaimed excitedly.

"Hardcore!" Kid Flash and Robin fist bumped.

"Already rescued her" Red Arrow stated walking over to pull up another hologram. "Only one problem. The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it the FOG, comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nano-tech infiltrators. Capable of disintegrating anything in their path. Concrete, steel, flesh bone…"

Swift shuddered at the mention of the last two.

"But its true purpose isn't mere destruction, its theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen Intel to the Shadows."

"Providing them access to weapons, strategic defence, cutting edge science and tech…" Swift concentrated hard as she uploaded the files to hers and Robin's holo computers.

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking, yeah. Sounds like the Shadows" Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Like  _you_  know anything about the Shadows," Wally pouted. Artemis smirked and he snapped. "WHO ARE YOU?!"

Red Arrow rolled his eyes "Roquette's working on a virus to render the FOG inert"

"But if the Shadows know she can do that…" Robin looked at Swift's data worriedly.

"They'll target her. You've kept her off the grid right?" Swift looked up from her work.

"I stashed her in the local high school's computer lab" Red Arrow nodded.

"You left her alone?!" Green Arrow asked shocked.

"She's safe enough for now" Red replied calmly.

"Then let's you and I keep her that way" Green Arrow reached forwards but Red Arrow stepped back glaring.

"You and I? Don't you wanna take your new protégé?"

Green Arrow was about to retort when Batman placed a hand on his shoulder. He sighed.

"You brought this to the Team. It's their mission. Which means it's hers now too."

"Then my job's done." Red Arrow walked towards the Zeta tube.

**_Recognised Speedy-_ **

"That's Red Arrow. B Zero Seven. Update"

* * *

**Happy Harbour High, August 8 2010, 21:53 EDT**

They were all at Happy Harbour High guarding the doctor who was sitting in one of the IT labs at the teachers desks. Robin, Swift, Kid Flash and Aqualad Stood at different points along the room. Swift was next to the window which over looked the quad and Aqualad was peering through the window on the door.

_Miss Martian link us up. We do not want the Shadow's intercepting our coms._

He asked. Miss Martian who was on the roof outside, glanced down at Superboy who was on the ground below and nodded.

_Everyone online?_

Miss Martian spoke through the mind link. Swift didn't even notice the voice. She was so absorbed in watching the live feed from the school's security cameras.

_Wow! Even at night, schools are so boring._

Artemis looked up at her oddly.

_Ugh! This is weird._

_And distracting._

Dr. Roquette glared hard at her own computer screen.

_Coding a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddy computer with less RAM than a wrist watch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen think in my skull?!_

_Lady do you always complain when someone tries to help you?_  Kid Flash snagged a bite from his chocolate bar.

 _Pot! Kettle! Have you met?_  Artemis glowered at him.

_Hey! Hey! I do NOT need attitude from the Newbie who drove Red Arrow from the team_

Artemis jumped off the desk she was sitting on.

_That is so not on me!_

_FATE OF THE WORLD AT STAKE!_

Roquette sounded pissed. Swift couldn't blame her.

_She started it!_

Kid Flash pouted like a child _._

_I don't care which one of you started it, I'll bloody finish it!_

Swift snapped at the two of them giving a nasty Bat Glare.

_Whoa there missy keep your head on._

Robin put both his hands up quickly. Swift sighed before going back to perusing the security feeds.

 _How about I help Miss Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter_ Artemis sighed.

_Good idea._

Aqualad folded his arms as Artemis walked past him and out the door. He went to stand beside Swift as Robin and Kid Flash talked behind them.

"Nothing out of the ordinary" She said before he could even open his mouth.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

Swift looked back at him her eyes narrowed dangerously and he backed up. "I'm sorry I didn't mean-"

"No I'm sorry. Last night was…rough" She sighed head down.

 _It couldn't possibly be worse than today though right? I mean with HER around!_  Kid grumbled in his head, still glaring at the door Artemis just left through.

Dick sighed.

_You might wanna cut her some slack. It was HER arrow that saved your but against Amazo_

_What?_ Kid choked on his bar

 _No that was Speedy-I mean Red Arrow's Arrow, right?_  He looked towards Swift who shrugged and said quite plainly.

_Not so much no!_

_Hmph!_  Kid pouted.  _Well still not giving her the satisfaction_

 _You know I can still hear you!_  Artemis's voice cried out over the link _._

"ARGH!" Kid cried out loud clutching his head.

_I couldn't get the Justice League_

Roquette pinched her nose in aggravation.

Aqualad turned to her calmly.

_The Virus won't be of much use if we cannot find the weapon. Can you track it?_

Roquette turned to look at Aqualad incredulously

_My Utility FOG is not a weapon. It's science. Brilliant Science and of course I can track it. But I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and "Assassinate me" in neon_

Aqualad put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

_We will protect you._

Swift felt her shoulders relax a little as she felt Aqualad's calm seep into her through the mental link.

She walked over and plugged her holo computer into the same machine. Roquette gave her a sceptical look.

_For an extra boost; unless you want to be stuck with seven moody teenage superheros for a few more hours?_

_Thanks._ Roquette's scowl softened into a grimace she hit enter.

_Tracking FOG now._

Swift who gave Aqualad the thumbs up as the computer finished the search, just as Artemis said through the link.

_Mmm…that boy_

Swift face palmed as she saw an image of Superboy's behind from Artemis's perspective

_He can hear you! We all can hear you!_

Miss Martian snapped possessively.

_Oh I know_

Artemis smirked. Swift rolled her eyes.

_Keep your eyes on the prize girls._

_Oh that shouldn't be too difficult_ Artemis's smirk got even wider.

Swift felt Superboy's nervous confusion through the mind link, and glanced at Robin and Kid Flash, both of whom were giggling uncontrollably from their spot, to Roquette who had her face in her hands mouthing.

"Why me?"

_Miss Martian, Dr Roquette has located the FOG. Reconfigure the Bio-ship so that Swift, Robin and Superboy can pursue._

"Are you sure about splitting up?" Swift asked as she headed for the door

"I don't know," Aqualad admitted quietly. "But at least this way Artemis and Miss Martian will be less…distracted and Superboy can be spared from more embarrassment"

"Ahh" Swift nodded knowingly. "Gotcha. OK well I'll keep you posted if something comes our way."

"Please do"

Swift paused looking at Aqualad.

"Here take this" she tossed him a small bottle he caught it.

"What is it?" he held it up to the light and examined the light green liquid.

"Antidote. You might want to hang onto it just in case. The Shadows usually tip their weapons with some sort of poison."

"Thank you" Aqualad nodded. Swift called over the mind link as she ran up a corridor after Robin.

Swift glared back at Artemis and Miss Martian and the two girls looked down at their shoes slightly abashed.

Swift meanwhile had taken the helm as Robin and Superboy sat on either side of the ship, prepping themselves in front of a couple of keyboards.

"Typed in the co-ordinates?" She asked.

"Yep!" Robin popped the P as the ship began to rise.

They took off. After a few moments of flying, Superboy spoke up softly.

"Uh…Swift"

"Yes Superboy?" Swift smiled down at him kindly. Superboy looked down at his fingers in his lap.

"What was going on back there? I mean…why was Artemis looking at my butt like…like that?"

"Uhh…" Swift glared down at Robin who was shaking with silent mirth.

"Superboy" She began, sounding as if she were treading on a mine field. "You have had the…the  _talk_  haven't you?"

"The talk?" Superboy cocked his head to the side, in that innocent puppy dog way.

"Well you know…" Swift's ears went very pink "the talk, the birds and the bees that sorta-"

"What she means is, do you know about sex?" Robin rolled his eyes.

"Very subtle Boy Wonder" Swift rolled her eyes as Superboy's face spilt with realization before suddenly turning very red.

"Oh…yeah. I mean I do it's just. What does it have to do with Artemis?"

"Well…when a girl finds a guy…attractive…she might look and act…differently around him than she would somebody else" Swift mumbled.

"Oh?" Superboy looked back to his holo screen nodding slowly

"Yeah." Swift sighed in relief which was short lived when Superboy asked.

"So am I attractive?"

"Uh…" Swift looked away from Superboy, because Robin was looking at her very directly.

"Oh look where here, thank god" she muttered under her breath in relief as she saw the Star Labs Logo from a distance. Her face fell.

"Oh no"

Robin and Superboy turned and gasped.

"Robin to Aqualad. We're over Philadelphia. We've located the Shadow's next target Star Labs. We're too late. It's destroyed. Totally destroyed. The fog decimated it."

Their eyes widened in shock as the logo on the side of the building crumpled. Robin turned to Swift

Her hand was over her mouth.

"This is bad." She breathed as the building came crashing down before their very eyes. "Star Labs is cutting edge science and now their secrets are in the hands of the enemy"

"What's our next move?" Robin asked.

" _Rescan for that FOG. Find it. We're moving the Doctor_ " Aqualad ordered through the com.

"Wait Aqualad!" Swift cried out before she could be cut off. "I have an idea. Robin, Superboy continue to scan."

"Right!" Superboy stood up to stand beside Robin, occasionally glancing back at Swift who was mumbling into her com. He caught phrases like "doppelganger" and "other location" as the Bio Ship continued to circle the ruined Star Labs facility.

After about an hour or so of talking with Aqualad Robin called out.

"Got the location!"

"Com me if there's any more problems. Robin's got a lead. Oh and guys. If I hear that any of you have been arguing over stupid stuff, the League of Shadows will be the least of your out."

She smirked as the indignant snaps of Kid Flash and Artemis were cut off. God! Those two were like a pair of snappy terriers.

She looked back down at Robin who was looking pale.

"The next targets a Wayne Tech facility. In theory it's system's software could be used to hack the -"

Swift coughed loudly and Robin stopped short. Superboy looked concernedly.

"The what?"

"Doesn't matter." Robin replied quickly "What matters is Wayne Tech operates a twenty four hour workforce. We'll never evacuate the building in time!"

"Oh yes we will" Swift grunted as she pushed up the Bio Ships speed. Robin rounded on her, panic stricken.

"Swift even with the Bio-ship on full speed we still won't get there in time. There's too much drag"

Swift looked through her peripheral at the windows. She swore she could've seen something white slide past the side of the ship. It moved wildly but smoothly like it was the…no…it couldn't have been…

_Yes child, it is the wind_

It was that voice; that same female voice that had spoken to her when she'd gone against Mister Twister.

 _Who are you_?

She asked as she saw another tendril of wind swish past her. She didn't notice the confused looks on Robin's and Superboy's faces as the voice spoke again.

_I shall tell you soon enough, for now though, close your eyes and listen to what I have to say._

It was a crazy request, but somehow Swift knew that the voice wasn't going to lead her to any harm.

She barely heard Robin's panicked protests as she shut her eyes tight.

Instantly she was thrown into a mass of swirling colours as different tendrils of light moved around her form.

 _Hold on!_  Swift cried out mentally as a purple ribbon slid past her cheek.  _You can't possibly mean that all this…is…_

_Yes child. This is the wind. You are the only one in this world who can see it for what it truly is._

She was so shocked that her eyes nearly flew open but the voice in her mind cried out.

_Do not open your eyes! Your eyes can be easily deceived. Feel the wind around you; guide it with your mind._

Swift concentrated hard and felt something hot and fast shoot through her body. It buzzed through her like an electric current delivering an amazing adrenaline rush to her brain. She could feel herself smiling widely. Oh what a feeling.

This was flying!

Meanwhile in the physical world around her Robin and Superboy were holding on for their lives as the Bio -ship suddenly burst forth through the air. The view of the city below became a blur of dark shapes and colours as they flew tenfold of their original speed

"Holy Crap! Holy Crap! Holy Crap! SWIFT! SLOW DOWN YOU CRAZY BIRD!" Robin cried out in terror.

" _Aqualad to Robin and Superboy. Is everything alright?! What's happened?_ " Aqualad sounded shocked on the other end.

"No idea!" Superboy laughed out loud. "But this is awesome!" he whooped.

" _Swift!"_ Aqualad called out on the other line sounding worried " _Swift do you copy! What is going on?_ "

"Nothing Aqualad" Swift finally answered opening her eyes gently just as they came to hover over the Wayne tech building.

She grinned down at Robin who was gripping the keyboard in front of him like a lifeline. He glared at her and her smile faltered.

"Robin…I…"

He pointed an accusatory shaky finger at her. "After this, you and I are having a talk!"

He turned his back on her and Swift's eyes lowered.

As she began slowing down Swift heard a thumping noise in her ear.

"Aqualad?" more thumps, followed by a groan. She looked at Robin.

"It's downloading" he nodded at her and she opened the back hatch.

"Alright" She said suddenly business like. "you two get the virus -"

"Don't need it!"

"Superboy" Swift and Robin cried out together as Superboy jumped out the hatch.

Robin swore loudly.

Swift sighed "I'll circle around, try and activate all the security protocols in the building, while you get the virus up and running"

"Roger that, NO!" he cried out suddenly.

"What?" Swift glowered.

"Not you! The Shadows! They've set the FOG loose!"

"Then GO! GO!" she cried out

Robin jumped out the hatch, using his grapple gun to swing to the ground. Swift set to work straight away.

"Wayne Tech Override R-G-2! Attention all personnel. This is a code red emergency evacuation; please use the emergency fire exits as quickly as you can. This is not a drill. I repeat. This is not a drill!"

She swooped around the building several times as people came pouring out of the fire escapes like ants out of a drowning ant hill. A grey smog crashed through the windows of the upper stories.

"Robin, where are you?"

" _Still trying to find a computer! The FOG's decimated most of them_ " Robin cried out.

"There should be one in the cafeteria at the cashier, tenth floor" Swift said pulling up a map of the tenth floor in front of her.

" _Roger that! Any word from Superboy?_ "

"No, he's still up against that Shadow. Superboy!" Swift called out from her com. He didn't answer but Swift could hear him grunting and crashing as he fought.

" _Please be linked to the main frame! Please be linked to the main frame!_ " she heard Robin pray.

She saw him as she passed and double tracked to hover in front of the glass window. Then she saw him jump up and down.

" _Yes! The infiltrators have been outfiltrated_!" He whooped as the cashier lady ran out the door.

Swift's eyes widened when she glanced at the building. The grey fog that had been hovering around the building was now a slimy red mass. She sighed in relief but paused as a holographic image appeared over the top of the frontal display saying "Structural compromise".

"Robin jump, the ceiling's going to go!" Robin turned to her and leapt through the glass. Swift opened a hole in the roof of the Bio-ship and raised one of the organic seats to catch him as he landed.

She landed the Bio ship on a nearby rooftop before getting of her seat as Robin descended back in front of his keyboard. She ran up to him but stopped short. He turned to look at her, rolled his eyes and opened his arms wide. She ran into them, squeezing him tightly around the middle.

"You still owe me an explanation." He mumbled into her crown.

"Ok" She smiled into his tunic. Robin smiled nuzzling his face into her hair and inhaling deeply.

"You know…I really like your hair like this"

"Really it's better than the bun?" Swift shifted her head to rest sideways on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I mean it looks cute in a bun, but it's really much better like this. It's more…"

"Prettier?" Swift mumbled shyly.

"I was going to say it's more you. You're always pretty." Robin mumbled as she pulled away. His smile softened as she bit her lip. It was one of the quirks he found quite endearing.

"Hmm…Boy Wonder you are charming" Swift smiled, pulling away to look into his face. Even with his domino mask, she could still imagine his blue eyes shining brightly.

"Uh…Robin…Swift"

They both turned around. The back hatch was open and Superboy was standing there looking at the two of them with a very tired expression. They jumped apart both redder than the S shield on Superboy's shirt.

"Oh hey Superboy! What's up?" Robin made a valiant attempt at his usual swagger as he made his way back to his seat. Unfortunately it turned out to be more of a stagger.

Superboy heaved himself in his own seat, completely unaware of the tension around him.

"That Professor Ojo, or whatever, is with Batman and Flash. They're taking him back to the League. Batman said to pick up everyone else and go back to the cave for the debriefing."

"Oh. OK!" Swift sat back down at the helm and directed the ship upwards towards the skies.


	9. Episode 7: Denial/Ultraviolet

**Gotham City, August 27 2010, 04:49 EDT**

Swift POV:

I have been walking down in these sewers for hours now. Oh yes the Gotham Sewers. The most fun place on the planet and even more entertaining when you're walking in it with a distracted Atlantian (Kaldur), a concerned female Martian (M'gann), a short detective (Robin/Dick), a red haired speedster (Wally) and a grumpy Superboy (Uh…Damn we really should come up with a civilian name for Superboy shouldn't we. Maybe I'll mention it to Dad when I get back. I mean it doesn't seem very fair especially since everyone else has a name.).

Just so you know. I'm the short brunette flying invisible turning freak stuck behind Robin and getting her heels stepped on by Wally. It's really quite strange. The wind around me I can see it clearly. It's like a tapestry with millions of colourful threads weaving and twisting all around me. And yet I'm the only one who can see it. No one else can see it. Like Ultraviolet light, they know it's there but aren't concerned.

Oh god what is that?! Argh! A spider! Step quickly! Step quickly! Whew. Safe.

"Sorry Wally" I apologise.

"It's ok babe" Wally gives me a very shaky thumbs up.

He's the only one on the team who understands my fear of spiders, only because he and I had a (if you look at it in hindsight) hilarious bonding time trying to kill a miniscule spider the last time we hung out at the manor. In the end it was Alfred who came and sprayed the spider with bug spray whilst Dick stood in the doorway and laughed. Ah Alfred; the true hero in Wayne manor.

Yeah I know I'm a superhero sidekick who's helped take down deadly foes and psychotic nut jobs and yet I get spooked by a little spider.

Well that's not my fault. You would be scared to if you found your…no I won't tell you now. M'gann's probably going to set up the mind link soon and well…let's just say there are certain things I don't want to tell my friends about at the moment.

Besides my week has been quite shit already and I don't need them worrying any more about me then they already do. Which brings me to tell you how I'm stuck down here in the Gotham Sewers when I could be at home sleeping. Well it all started a week ago…

* * *

**The Batcave, August 19 2010, 16:49 EDT**

Swift leant against the wall holding a box of Japanese takeaway in one hand whilst fishing for rice with a pair of chopsticks in the other.

Robin sat on the floor against the opposite her twirling a sushi in his chopsticks. He eyed the filling oddly before shrugging and stuffing it in his mouth.

Batman sat in his large chair in front of the Bat-Computer. He'd already finished eating and was perusing the screens, pouring over security profiles and blueprints of a large rocket.

Swift swallowed a mushroom. "So… let's recap. The janitor, security guard and engineer are all reported dead on August 17th"

Batman nodded continuing to look at the screens.

"All three killed with a poison dart" Robin continued through a mouthful. Batman nodded again.

"The victims were all shot an hour apart in the same building on the same night, the first murder occurring at 11:00 pm."

A nod.

"Post mortem autopsy suggests that the substance was a fast acting neurotoxin derived from an ancient Chinese herb, which we know is specially harvested and used by the League of Shadows"

Again another nod.

"But hang on I don't get it!" Robin looked at Swift his right cheek bulging with the piece of sushi. "The Engineer was only involved in working on the test launches and not the real deal. Why would they need to use his Id. Wouldn't they want to get someone that was working on the real deal?"

"We already covered this Dick. They didn't need to." Swift rolled her eyes as she shovelled another helping of chicken into her mouth "Even if he was only working on the test launches, he still had enough clearance to get past most of the security. Especially since those government networks are quite pathetic anyways. The thing is that that rocket is only going up there to help launch a satellite that will measure the ozone layer. So the real question is what does the League of Shadows want with that rocket?"

"The league wants to use it to hide something" Batman turned round in his seat to face the two of them and stood up just as Alfred came down the stairs.

"We're going to Cape Canaveral" Batman nodded to the old butler who looked down on them all gravely.

"Very well then sir, shall you need me at the computer"

"Yes, thank you Alfred" Swift smiled up at him quickly tossing the takeaway box behind her back into the bin. Robin wasn't so fast however.

The butler looked down on them all; raising his eyebrows. He was always a tad touchy about them eating takeaway food, more because of the health concerns than anything else.

"Sorry Alfie" Robin quickly finished his sushi and chucked it in the bin. "Got hungry after that patrol"

"I quite understand, young master. However I think I speak for all of us if I were to say that you might want to improve your chopstick skills. You have spilt wasabi all over the front of your cape."

"What? Aw great!" Robin groaned looking down at the black shiny material which was smeared with green paste.

"Here you buffoon" Swift went forwards with a paper napkin smiling. Robin pouted as she began to wipe it off.

Alfred and Batman exchanged small glances.

* * *

**Cape Canaveral, August 19 2010, 20:48 EDT**

_Oh yeah pick on me because I'm the smallest. Humph! Cowards!_

Swift grumbled in her head as, invisible, she crawled out from a pile of blood thirsty ninjas. She threw down a pellet of knock out gas into the centre of them and ran to join Robin as he punched a goon out of his way only to be attacked by three more.

Batman was somewhere behind and like Robin he was taking down three other goons all at once. She looked around. More of the dark figures were running towards them.

Swift reappeared and signalled to Robin from behind one of the goons. He gave a minute nod of the head and Swift vanished into thin air. Suddenly one of the goons was jerked backwards. He yelled in terror as his arm twisted and he flew into one of his buddies. They crumpled to the ground.

The third guy looked around him, allowing for Robin to deliver a heavy punch to his jaw. He fell to the side knocked out.

"Behind you" Robin muttered. Swift turned her head and on instinct swung her leg around in a backwards roundhouse. She smirked as she felt the man's ribs crack as he flew off to the side and landed on top of the already high pile of knocked out Shadows.

They both high fived.

"I need to get to that rocket!" Batman called out to them as he delivered a powerful high kick to one of his attackers.

"Roger that" Swift nodded.

"We'll- run- interference!" Robin grinned as he somersaulted over a man's head. They both winced as they met back to back in the centre of a circle of goons.

"Shall we?" Robin smirked linking one of his elbows with hers. The goons decided to start rushing for them

"I believe we shall" Swift smiled and linked her other elbow. Using his strength, Robin pulled and lifted Swift's back above his own and spun round. Swift kicked wildly as they spun round and round the goons all falling in a neat circle around them. On the third revolution Robin gasped.

"What?"

"Look!"

Swift unlinked her arms and dropped back on the ground turning to face the rocket. A large henchman, had Batman by the throat and pressing him into the side of a van parked close by the launch bay. To make matters worse the timer on Robin's holo computer was saying that they had less than ten minutes to stop the rocket from launching.

They both looked at each other.

"You get the rocket, I'll get the Batman" Robin said quickly already running towards the truck.

Swift ran towards the scaffolding and shot her grapple gun up. She sped upwards, enjoying the feel of the wind as it whipped through her hair before landing at the top. She ran towards the cone head of the rocket and found the hatchet.

A squirt of acid and a hiss of burning metal later and the conical top of the rocket opened.

"Yes! Gotcha you little piece of shit!" she hissed in victory.

"Rather crude, but still a very accurate statement"

Swift froze as a large hand grabbed her wrist. She opened her mouth to protest.

The hand twisted her arm painfully and drew her back. Something cold and metallic pressed itself against her neck.

"Make one noise and I will not hesitate to silence you. Do you understand?"

She nodded gulping as the hand pulled her back into the shadows.

* * *

Batman he zipped up his line to the top of the scaffolding. The brunette woman below on the platform in a green and black suit glared up at him tracing him with her gun.

She couldn't kill him even if she wanted to.

" _Master Bruce, you better not be smiling_ " Alfred's voice came from the com in his ear. Batman's grin widened as he came up closer to the top.

He landed quickly and stepped out. The cap of the rocket was opened.

He rushed over and checked inside. A large disc of a clear crystal twinkled up at him in the light of the sunset.

" _A diamond lens sir?_ " Alfred inquired.

"Yes. Destroying it won't be…easy" He paused as something metallic tinkled onto the platform beside him. He caught it quickly before it rolled off. It was a small metal cylindrical can with a purple "s" on the side. He looked around him thoroughly.

He was completely alone.

He stared around not even noticing Robin coming up beside him.

"Oh good! She got it open. Hey Swift! Swift!" Robin called out grinning.

Batman looked back at him eyes narrowed. His mouth was the thinnest of lines and his fists were shaking. Robin's eyes widened his smile vanishing as his smugness was replaced by the stomach dropping grip of dread.

"Dick, take the lens and go." Batman ordered quietly but the boy didn't move a muscle.

"Where is Chris?" Robin glared back at him.

"Robin, take the lens and go!"

"Like Hell I will! Where is she?!"

"Robin! I'll find Swift. Take the lens! Find a way to destroy it! That's an order!"

"That won't be necessary" Came another voice.

The voice was that of a male, matured by age and wisdom yet cold and merciless. It was a voice they'd both heard many times and knew well…

Indeed as they turned back round there he stood, covered in a regal green cloak that matched his sharp eyes, which were gazing in cold appraisement at them. With one arm he held the hands of the struggling girl behind her back whilst the other held a steely katana to her throat.

"Ra's Al Ghul" Robin growled about to jump forwards.

"No" a black gloved arm blocked him. Robin was about to argue when he caught sight of Swift who caught his eye and nodded at Batman.

Reluctantly, Robin clenched his fist and took a step back.

Batman and Ra's were still staring each other down.

"Such contempt, and yet I've always admired you…believed you worthy of my legacy"

Batman's glare turned if possible even darker. Ra's sighed.

"Why must our encounters always so…adversarial?"

"Perhaps it's something to do with your disdain for human life" Swift mumbled under her breath. The blade pressed closer into her throat and she felt a small pinch.

"What do you want?" Batman narrowed his eyes, watching the minuscule trickle of blood as it slowly stained his sidekicks uniform.

A cold smile flitted across the older mans face.

"A compromise. By now you've surmised my satellite focuses the rays of the sun into a weapon…yet the key is its capacity for surgical strikes. Only large population centres will be targeted…to eliminate the human surplus. Rural and natural areas will be left untouched. I'll even spare Gotham…since you've developed such an unhealthy attachment to the place. All this is possible detective, if only you'd join me-"

"Batman don't-Agh!" The grip on Swift's wrists was so tight it hurt.

"Perhaps you should let your father make his own decisions child!" Ra's suave façade faltered for a moment as he snarled down at her.

"Sorry Ra's. But my answer remains the same. No" Batman glared and Ra's face hardened.

"There's just no pleasing you, is there? Well no matter" Ra's shifted the katanas position into a kill strike position. "You see detective, I've failed in the past by underestimating you. But not this time. I know you would rather die than watch one of your sidekicks-"

"This time…I'm not the one you underestimated" Batman's lips twitched just as Robin came out from within the rocket cone.

"Gotcha nose…Cone lens!"

Swift saw her chance. In an instant, Ra's Al Ghul was holding onto thin air.

"No!" He jumped back in alarm and Swift ducked out from under him.

"Why do bad guys always say no?" Swift's disembodied voice snorted a good couple of meters out of the swords reaches.

"Dunno" Robin smirked twirling the lens between his fingers. "I mean they see us standing here with the thing and still they say no"

Ra's face was livid with rage as he took a solid step forwards.

"You're in denial Ra's" Swift took a step back still maintaining her distance from the sword even though she couldn't be seen.

"Ever thought of trying Re-nial instead." Robin grinned tossing the lens, so that he caught it at the tips of his fingers.

"NO!" Ra's cried out. He ran forwards and Swift cried out reappearing as he crashed into her.

"SWIFT!" Batman and Robin's shouts barely registered as Swift and Ra's toppled off the side of the scaffolding.

Swift struggled; eyes closed to the horror of the Demon Head's wrath. Hair tore, nails clawed at her face and a roar of anger mixed with her own terrified screams. There was a nasty sting and a gasp as the black domino mask peeled off her face.

The air blew cold against her skin as Swift looked down on Ra's shocked face.

"You…You're a-" but his grip loosened and gravity took charge. It sucked him down releasing Swift from his grip until like so many humans before him, his body crumpled against the Earth. Swift's eyes widened in horror as the ground came closer and closer.

Hot quick energy shot through her veins like a lightning bolt. It filled her every fibre, every blood vessel with a thrilling bliss so potent that her eyes rolled back into her head and she smiled. The ground was close now she could see the green eyes of her dead opponent stare up at her blankly. She took a deep breath and focused her mind.

"Let me go! I can still get her!"

Batman was holding a kicking and screaming Robin away from the edge of the scaffolding when something dark and purple swooshed up in front of them.

They both looked up as a loud whoop of joy filled the air before the figure settled to float in front of them.

" _Upon my word…_ " She heard Alfred's gasp of shock in her com.

Batman's jaw had dropped slightly and Robin had stopped struggling looking as if he'd just seen a green giraffe with purple spots cross his path.

"Pretty cool huh?" Swift looked down on her partners smiling as she descended back to a safe beam.

Batman let out a deep relieved sigh and let go of Robin who immediately ran up to Swift and caught her in a great big hug.

"Hey. I'm ok" she smiled.

Batman walked up beside them and placed a large hand on her head, the only part he could really touch because Robin was holding her so close to him that he seemed glued. That was until Swift pried herself away to look around.

"Hey what happened to the Shadows?"

The three of them looked down at the base of the scaffolding. The brunette woman from before was glaring up at them all.

"She'll hate me for that" Batman watched as Ra's body was carried off back to a helicopter.

"You? But I'm the one that-"

"It wasn't your fault" Swift put a hand on her partners shoulder.

" _Miss Christine is quite right Master Dick._ " Alfred said in his most consoling voice. " _In any case, Miss Al Ghul's father's deaths tend to be temporary_ "

"None of which will matter to Talia." Batman muttered grimly.

"Which bothers you because?" Swift raised her eyebrows. Batman narrowed his eyes at her, annoyed at the knowing twinkle in those purple eyes.

Another beep sounded off in his ear.

" _Master Bruce, Master Dick, Miss Christine. I have an emergency alert from Red Tornado. A member of the family has passed_ "

They all looked at one another.

"Who is it?" Batman inquired.

" _A Mr. Kent Nelson sir_ "

* * *

**Gotham City, August 26 2010, 08:03 EDT**

Christine stepped out of the back seat of the large black Bentley. She was wearing her Swift costume underneath her favourite purple hoody dress (minus the gloves). Her hair was plaited back neatly but she had small bags under her eyes behind her rectangular glasses.

She waved at Alfred who smiled at her sleepiness before he pulled the car out of the spot to drive off and run an errand.

"Come on Chrissy hurry up!" Dick whined. He was wearing his usual dark jeans and blue jacket over a light green hoody and was standing next to Bruce at the top of the stairs in front of the Wayne Foundation building.

"I don't see why we have to come and see this thing too" she yawned.

"Because I promised to take you both out for waffles afterwards" Bruce smiled patiently, dressed in a sharp black suit with a red tie as he waited. Christine pouted grumpily but allowed herself to be dragged up the front steps by Dick.

"They better be damn good waffles" she glared at Bruce who chuckled as he closed the door behind her.

She glowered at a nearby news stand in the lobby which had many newspapers stacked ready for people to read. One in particular stood out to her in a bold black headline "Is it too 'swift' to assume? Could this be the rise of another superhero?"

Now Christine didn't usually care what the press wrote about, what the public and press referred to as the Triumphant Trio. Any news of Batman was always bound to make a front page headline and Robin was always a number one hit for all the young women with his charm as the Boy Wonder. But neither male hero had received more publicity or scrutiny in their hero lives as Swift had done in this past week.

As Swift, Christine tended to keep her existence shrouded in mystery. She rarely came out to speak to the press, and stuck to the shadows, something which had always vexed the Gotham press for four years. Needless to say it was a huge deal to the public to discover that one of Batman's most mysterious companions had super powers.

Security footage of Swift's first flight at the rocket launch at Cape Canaveral had been uploaded onto YouTube from an unknown source. Barely hours after the leak had occurred; the tabloids went into absolute overdrive. The whole of Gotham city was abuzz with news and whispers. Every news and gossip channel was reporting on the same topic, every person was discussing it in hushed whispers, heck even the villains and their goons had been heard muttering in their cells at Arkham Asylum.

The past few nights she'd gone with Bruce and Dick to answer the Bat-signal the policemen had all given her strange looks. Well stranger looks than normal. Even her teammates were all acting a little different, but that was more out of concern than anything else. But none of them were as worried as she was because they only knew a tiny percentage of what was troubling her.

She felt a comfortable weight settle on her shoulder and looked up into her adoptive father's face.

"It'll die down soon enough" he said under his breath.

"I hope so" she mumbled.

Bruce squeezed her shoulder gently.

"Ah there you are Bruce!" a voice called. Christine watched as a man stepped towards them. He was African American with short black hair that was grey around the ears. He was wearing a grey business man suit. Bruce shook his hand, smiling.

"Oh, I see you've brought Dick and Christine with you. Hey kids" the man smiled down at the two of them.

"Hey Lucius" Dick grinned. Christine managed a small smile.

"Dad dragged you out of bed this morning?" Lucius smiled knowingly.

"Yeah" She nodded slowly but something beyond the older man's form caught her eye.

She peered around him to look at a large grey canister surrounded by security guards dressed in blue. Lucius followed her gaze and sighed.

"Oh yes that…"

"So what's this about Lucius?" Bruce was eyeing the canister with intrigue as he stepped towards it.

"Not sure, Bruce. This arrived, addressed to you. No return address."

Dick and Christine exchanged glances. The canister looked rather like an old urn.

"So what do you think it is?" Christine whispered in Dick's ear as Bruce enquired about the canister's contents.

"Either it's a  _special_  present from one of our dear  _friends_ , or the milk man's started delivering in bulk"

Christine snorted just as the canister wobbled of its own accord. Everyone in the room froze. A crack appeared in its side.

_BANG!_

"RARRRRRRRRR!"

The gigantic creature burst from his confinement, splattering mud and clay everywhere.

"Come on!" Dick grabbed her by the arm and dragged her behind a marble pillar. Within the minute Christine tore off her ruined hoody, put on her gloves, untied her hair and quickly stuck her domino mask on.

Dick, who was still hopping around trying to get his left boot of his Robin ensemble on, stared at her incredulously.

"What?" Christine, now Swift, asked.

"You really are scary sometimes" he muttered strapping his utility belt. Swift rolled her eyes before going over and ruffling his dark hair back into Robin's customary mop.

"You two ready?" Batman's gravelly voice spoke in their coms.

"Ready boss" Swift and Robin both smirked.

The clay monster was advancing on Lucius who was looking wildly around in fear.

"Bruce, we need to get you and the kids out of here. Bruce?!"

The monster roared again and his muddy appendage lashed out. Lucius screamed as he was knocked aside by a dark figure.

Swift glared hard at the monster taking out her folding fans. She swiped slicing through a muddy arm as it attacked her.

The monster roared and created a third arm from behind its neck to grab her.

She somersaulted over its head joining Batman and Robin as they both leapt down from the ceiling.

"You look a little dishevelled!" Robin smirked.

"Oh shut up" but Swift smiled as she felt that buzz of energy

The clay monster shot three large sprays of mud. Swift dodged the one aimed at her by flying out of the way but Batman and Robin both got hit dead on. They crashed through the windows and onto the street.

Quickly and quietly Swift flew out high to get a clear view of her surroundings.

People were darting hither and dither screaming in panic. Cars screeched and crashed into each other as the drivers tried to get out of the street. Parked cars and motorbikes crumpled under the sheer mass of muck.

"Whaaatt! Whaat diid sheeee dooo toooo meee?" The monster roared as it heaved itself out onto the pavement.

Batman and Robin seized their chance. They sprung to their feet and snapped out their tasers. The creature howled as the bolts of electricity shot through it but otherwise it was undamaged.

"Really thought he'd be a little less 'sheveled' after that" Robin muttered. He and Batman dodged a muddy fist but were hit by two other appendages which shot out of the monsters back. They smashed into a wall and crumpled.

The monster picked up an orange car above its head.

"Get away from my boys you piece of filth!"

Batman looked up. Between him, Robin and the monster Swift was floating. Her dark brown hair was billowing around her and her face was twisted with a terrifying snarl. Her voice which was usually quiet and slick when Swift, was strong, fierce and commanding. Her stance was powerful and she seemed to project an aura of great energy which surged like a whirlwind through the street around them.

The monster paused and seemed to look at her in shock taking a step backwards. Suddenly it began to sink.

"Howww?" it drawled as it began to sink through the sewer caps "Howww diid thissss haaapennnn?"

It screams issued from the blackness as the last of its head disappeared down the drain leaving behind a trail of thick mud.

Swift lowered herself to the ground as Batman and Robin both stood up, the latter picking up a small sample of the mud in a test tube. The sounds of police and ambulance sirens could be heard from a couple of streets away.

A little time passed and Batman felt his com go off in his ear.

" _Hey Bruce._ " Batman's face darkened.

"Superman" he spoke quietly so that no one could hear.

" _I saw the news just now. I was going to check if you could make the JL meeting today, but I think it's safe to say that you'll not be able to make it_ "

"Obviously" Batman rolled his eyes behind his mask, but paused as he caught a snippet of a civilian's conversation from close by. Words like "freak" and "scary" jumped out at him sharply/

" _Is something wrong?_ " Superman asked concernedly.

"Nothing of your concern" Batman sighed. Why did the Man of Steel have to be so emotionally perceptive?

" _How's Christine? Is she doing alright?_ "

"Why do you ask?" Batman growled defensively.

" _Well…_ " Superman sounded very nervous now " _I heard from the boss that G. Gordon Godfrey is going to do a piece on his next show about Swift. Of course Lois and Jimmy and I don't believe a word of the stuff that guy says but... he's going to flay her alive. Many people aren't too pleased that she has superpowers and Godfrey has been looking for an excuse to start up his fear mongering again_ "

"When is the show going to air?"

" _Ten o'clock tonight. Do you think you'll be able to come up with something by then?_ "

Batman rolled his eyes.

"Clark I haven't seen anything quite like this monster before I don't know how long it will take to track it, it might be days until I can hold a small press conference and properly introduce Swift to the world"

" _So what will you do?_ "

Batman sighed. If only he had a … he stopped in his tracks. That was it! The Team! He could hand over the mission to the Team and organise the press conference with the League. Besides it would be a perfect opportunity for them to do a tracking mission.

"I'll assign the team the mission if I cannot handle the monster by eight o clock. Batman out." he shut off his com marvelling at himself for not thinking of this idea sooner.

Batman looked around. People were standing around them outside a large perimeter. Most of them bystanders some of them the press. Many cameras were pointed or flashing in the direction not of him but of his two sidekicks as they tried to assist the nurses in the ambulances.

Swift reached forwards to help an injured driver up onto his feet but he pulled away from her sharply.

"Get away from me freak!"

Swift stepped back quickly. A nurse rushed past her and took the injured driver away. The camera's began flashing brighter than ever.

* * *

**Mount Justice, August 26 2010, 21:08**

Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian and Kid Flash were in the main room prepared. They'd all heard the news from Red Tornado that Batman might assign them a new mission today.

Batman's face appeared on a holo screen flanked by Swift and Robin.

" _Attention Team._ " Batman said sternly " _Take a Zeta Tube to Gotham city immediately and rendezvous with Robin and Swift at these new co-ordinates"_

"What is the mission?" Aqualad glanced at the others quickly.

"Shouldn't we wait for Artemis?" Kid asked the rest of them.

" _Don't wait. There's a creature loose in my city_ " Batman glowered at them all.

"If it's your city why are we hunting it?" Superboy folded his arms. Batman ignored him.

" _You are not to hunt it or engage it. Track it until I return with the solution_."

"Co-ordinate's received" Miss Martian nodded.

" _Robin and Swift will meet you there. Batman out._ "

The screen shut off before any of them had time to ask another question. They all went to the launch bay and strapped themselves into the Bio ship.

As soon as they took off Miss Martian replayed Batman's orders on the holo screen. She seemed to be smaller than ever as she sat slightly hunched next to Batman's stern and upright form.

"Wow she really is upset" Miss Martian looked very worried.

"Yeah" Kid agreed as he watched the harbour fly beneath them. A holo screen appeared in front of them with an envelope.

"Message from Robin" Kid said as he opened the folder to reveal two video files. He tapped on his keyboard and pulled up footage of the Triumphant Trio from that morning's news.

Aqualad was rather impressed but Miss Martian and Superboy were amazed. They even laughed fondly at the scary way that Swift managed to hold off the mud creature, the press had now labelled as Clayface. Needless to say they were shocked and very angry when they heard the injured man call her a freak.

"That's so…so…" Miss Martian's lip was twitching slightly. The next clip came on. It appeared to be a portion from a TV show. A man in a suit was talking in front of a picture of Swift with a caption "Swift to lie". The man seemed quite adamant that the girl in question was a danger to them all and that the Justice League's standards were falling by the wayside if this was the kind of dangerous person they would accept in the future. His whole rant went on for around twenty minutes.

Kid and Aqualad were both livid in their seats as the man finished his segment. Superboy slammed his fist down on his keyboard.

"How dare he! She saved that man's life! So what if she gets mad! At least she helps people!" He'd never seen Swift look so hurt before and now he realised he never wanted to see her hurt again.

"That evil…that-that" Kid Flash looked like he wanted to hit something.

To them, the Team, her pissed off side was always one of her more winning features. It was the glue that kept the Team in line and on target during a mission. Superboy couldn't understand why people couldn't just accept that.

"We're here" Aqualad announced grimly. M'gann parked the Bio ship on top of a building and set it to camouflage mode.

They quietly made their way down the fire escape into a small alley where they waited for ten minutes

"Geez where are they?" Kid muttered.

"They said they were on their way" Aqualad looked around the skies for a sign

"Yeah but they were in the Bat plane and that pretty fast-holy crap what is that?" he gasped.

Everyone put their hands over their mouths and noses as a grate nearby lifted up. They almost gagged as Swift's head poked through.

"Come on it's not so bad once you get used to it."

"I'll take your word for it" Aqualad swallowed and felt his throat burn.

* * *

**Gotham City, August 27 2010, 04:49 EDT**

Swift continued following Robin keeping her eye on the spider that scuttled into a hole in the wall.

_Well this has been a great day_

She rolled her eyes.

 _You wanna talk about it?_  Came Kid's voice in her mind.

 _Oh is the link up? Since when?_  Swift looked around wildly.

 _Oh don't worry. We didn't see much_  Miss Martian assured her kindly.

_Asides from your little flashback of you and KF freaking out over that tiny spider last year_

_Hey that spider could have been poisonous!_

But Dick smirked as Swift and Kid Flash both flushed scarlet.

 _Kid you hold him and I'll punch_  Swift cracked her knuckles.

 _Aqualad are you linked? Kaldur?_  Swift heard Miss Martian call. She felt Aqualad's shock as he came back to them.

_What? Oh yes Miss Martian, your psychic link functions perfectly_

_A penny for your thought…or a free plane ticket perhaps_  Swift raised her eyebrows.

 _My thoughts are not that far_  Aqualad smirked.

_Do you smell that?_

Swift heard Superboy sniff the air.

 _It could be us_  She looked over her shoulder. The sludgy water was rippling oddly. A piece of mud rose to the surface.

"Oh! You've got to be F-ing kidding me!" Christine yelled out in frustration as Clayface burst from the water spraying them all in garbage and pungent water and his clay.

Swift struggled vaguely aware that her of her teammates own predicaments. She managed to reach into her utility belt and pulled out her folding fan. She sliced through the muddy hand that held her and flew upwards dodging the many arms that tried to seize her. Clayface sank back into the water gurgling.

"Well that was certainly unpleasant" she snorted darkly.

"Like tangling with a rabid Ma'alefa'ak on Mars" Miss Martian agreed hovering beside her.

"Unpleasant sure…" Kid grimaced as he spat out a mouthful of sewer water "But kinda easy. That thing was a pushover. What the heck was Batman worried about?"

"What's a Malafak?" Superboy asked Robin and Aqualad who both shrugged.

Swift felt an unpleasant chilly breeze behind her. She turned around.

A giant mud fist smashed into her body pinning her against a wall. Clayface ploughed through them laughing horribly as they all groaned and rolled over in his sludgy wake.

" _Batman to team. Report Status. Have you encountered the creature?_ " Swift and Aqualad both heard Batman in their ears.

"Yes Batman, though the encounter was far from successful" Aqualad grimaced.

"More like shit" Swift muttered trying to shake out her hair of all the muck.

"If that's Batman ask him where Artemis? And how come she gets away with skipping this so-fun sewer party?" Kid Flash looked like he was going to be sick as he wiped his goggles.

"She's on an undercover mission" Swift rolled her eyes. "Let's get back to the ship. We need a new plan"

* * *

**Gotham City, August 27 2010, 05:38 EDT**

"Man I need a shower" Kid Flash complained walking out of the temporary change room Miss Martian had set up at the back of the ship. "I mean what's the point of putting on a clean costume when I'm not…fresh?"

"Oh Wally you're always fresh" Miss Martian smirked.

"At least you have a clean costume" Superboy mumbled trying to dust off the slime from in between his fingers.

"Yeah. And old back up! No stealth mode it stinks!" Kid sighed.

"We all stink" Swift folded her arms grumpily. Her other costumes were all in the wash back at the manor so she like Superboy was stuck looking and smelling more or less like shit. She glared enviously at Robin who smirked her way. He was wearing a clean costume too.

"So what about this creature?" he asked her. Swift shrugged.

"Batman just wanted us to track it"

"So why settle for that? Okay sure it got the drop on us. But now we know it's tricks." Kid sounded enthusiastic.

"Yeah!" Robin grinned "We split up! Then whoever finds old Clayface"

"Radios the team-" Swift added nodding.

"And we converge to kick some clay butt!" Superboy also was grinning.

Miss Martian turned to Aqualad excitedly "What do you think Aqualad?"

"What?" Aqualad jumped a little as if he'd suddenly snapped out of his thoughs. "Oh yes…that's a good plan".

Twenty minutes later they all tracked the clay down to a storage facility belonging to Bichel co.

Seeing as she was alone and it was faster Swift decided to practice her new found flying abilities. Despite the impending doom of waiting for the creature Clayface she found she was rather enjoying herself. Finally she could fly. Her dream had come true.

She pulled herself out of a small loop de loop as Superboy's voice reported through the com.

" _Guys I found the creature! Rendezvous at my co-ordinates!_ "

"Roger that" Swift tapped her com off.

"Damn it" Swift muttered. The co-ordinates were all pointing to a spot that was on the other side of the storage warehouse.

Even flying it was difficult to navigate a straight route to the spot. She'd just rounded a corner when she heard Aqualad's voice behind her.

"Swift? Where are you going?"

"Oh hey Aqualad you lost too" Swift sighed in relief.

"Yeah I think the monster's this way" He pointed around a stack of shelves. Swift followed quickly and found herself facing a dead end lined with shelves that reached all the way up to the ceiling.

"Uh Aqualad I don't think…" she turned and gasped.

Aqualad was smiling but his mouth was filled with sharp teeth.

"Sorry sweetie I must have taken the wrong turn" Clayface roared with laughter as he reached out with a long clay arm. Swift dodged it quickly and flew past him her eyes wide with panic. She rounded a corner and hit another dead end. A dark shadow loomed over her.

She screamed.


	10. Episode 8: Downtime/Help

**Gotham City, August 27 2010, 06:00 EDT**

Their insides went cold as Swift's high pitch scream echoed around the storage house.

"Swift!" Robin and Kid Flash's voices called out from somewhere in the left side of the storage facility.

" _Oh no! What do we do? Where is Superboy? Do you think it got him too?_ " Miss Martian gasped in horror.

" _Miss Martian_!  _Kid Flash! Robin! Calm down!_ " Aqualad ordered though he too was cold to the bone in fear.

" _Like hell I will! I'm going to find Swift!_ " they didn't need to see Robin to feel the power of his bat glare.

" _Dude keep your head on. If Swift and Superboy were taken down by that thing, imagine what it could do to you_ " Kid hissed.

" _Kid is right we need to regroup_ " Aqualad sounded decisive.

" _Not until I find my sister!_ " Robin's voice shook slightly

" _Robin I know you're worried_ " Miss Martian said as calmly as she could " _But imagine what Swift would say if you just went out on your own like that? What do you think she'd do?_ "

" _Dude I_ _ **know**_ _what she would do_ " Kid Flash sighed exasperatedly. "S _he'd probably whack us all on the back of our heads and say 'stop running around like a bunch of headless chickens you idiots and use your brains' or whatever_ "

There was a small silence.

" _You know I can almost hear her saying that just now_ " despite his dread, Aqualad chuckled. Miss Martian, Kid Flash gave weak laughs.

" _Alright I'll regroup with you guys_ " the Boy Wonder sighed heavily.

" _Good. We'll meet at Superboy's co-ordinates and use them to track the creatures path_.  _Aqualad out_ "

They turned off their coms.

* * *

Miss Martian flew around a corner. Swift was down and they had no clue where Superboy was.

"Oh Superboy please be alright"

"Who's there" someone called

"Superboy?!" Miss Martian's face split into a large smile as she turned a corner. There he stood dishevelled and muddy but grinning.

"Bad news gorgeous. He caught me off guard. Got away"

"You…you think I'm gorgeous?" she blushed.

"Well sure" Superboy shrugged. "Who wouldn't"

Miss Martian's vision went black.

* * *

Kid Flash was speeding down a corridor when he heard a small gasp.

He skidded to a halt and peered around a corner.

"Hey Miss M. You ok?"

She shook her head and sniffled.

"I'm just so scared." She sniffed "Superboy's missing, Swift's down."

"Hey its ok we'll find them" Kid Flash patted her shoulder consolingly. Miss Martian turned round and hugged him.

"Oh Kid Flash" she sighed "If only everyone had someone like you around, they wouldn't be alone"

"Babe I knew you'd come around" He smirked closing his eyes and leaned in. A few moments of silence passed.

"Babe?"

A deep rumbling chuckle echoed around him.

* * *

"Swift!" Robin rushed to his partner's side. She was lying down on the ground face down. He picked her up and cradled her to his chest.

"Swift, come on girl look at me. Wake up"

"Come on dude"

"Yeah get a hold on yourself"

The Boy Wonder looked up, one no,  **two**  Kid Flashes were standing on either side of him.

"Ok" Robin narrowed his eyes. "Whichever one of you can tell me my middle name is the real Kid Flash" he said.

"That's easy" one Kid Flash said.

"Yeah for me" the other one said in a 'duh I told you so' sort of voice.

"Chump" the first one's arms turned into heavy blocks

"Sap" the second one's arms also transformed

"Sucker"

Something wrapped around his body. He looked down horrified as Swift's body melted around him into brown clay, enveloping him.

* * *

Aqualad reached the end of the row and caught sight of Robin.

"Any sign of Clayface?" he asked calmly.

" Clayface? Uh no not here" Robin shrugged.

"I see" Aqualad turned to look down the row he'd just been walking down "Any word from the rest of the team?"

"No, sorry~" Robin's voice sweetened slightly at the end. Aqualad whipped out his water bearer and transformed it into a mace. He swung it round as the Robin doppelganger turned back into a giant clay monster.

It smiled a wicked smile as a third arm suddenly grew out of its stomach area punching him out of the way.

Aqualad hit the wall behind with a loud crash. He struggled to lift his head and looked through the monsters legs. All five of his  ** _real_**  teammates were lying unconscious at its feet.

This was it. It was over for all of them.

Batman crashed through in a shower of broken glass flinging down his batarangs. They exploded on Clayface's arm. The mud monster roared and sent a heavy fist slamming down. Batman reached into his utility belt and pulled out his taser. He fired it and the cords lodged deep into the mass of mud.

He pulled the trigger. Bolts of electricity, violent and terrible shot along the cords. The monster let out a long horrified scream as slowly it began to melt into a large slimy puddle.

Aqualad stared in shock at the pool of muck inches away from his nose.

_Shwuip!_

He looked up. The cords were gone and Batman was putting the taser back in his belt. Aqualad struggled to his hands and knees.

"Thank…" but the Batman shot him a glare and walked over to the team, pulling out a bottle of smelling salts which he opened under Swift's nose first. Aqualad shuddered. He was in huge trouble.

* * *

**Mount Justice, August 27 2010, 07:58 EDT**

Swift hobbled out of the Zeta tube and stepped into the caves main hall, covered in muck and smelling worse than a garbage tip. Batman stood there waiting patiently. She shot him a dirty look as if to say 'don't you dare say a word'.

"I need to talk to Aqualad. The rest of you hit the showers and head home." He nodded to Swift who hissed in victory as she directed her path towards the corridor that led to the Team's living quarters.

"Head home? I am home" Superboy grumbled.

Robin stayed behind looking at Batman hopefully.

"Just Aqualad" Batman narrowed his eyes.

Robin looked calm as he joined the others, but Swift saw the dark glare he shot over his shoulder.

"Meet you out front" she muttered quietly. Robin only grunted as he sped past her. Swift sighed and combed her fingers through her hair. A large dollop of muck and slime now coated her fingers.

"Urgh! How am I ever going to get all this out of my hair?"

"I know" M'gann huffed. Superboy just said nothing and followed Robin and Kid Flash into the boys showers.

Swift and M'gann entered the girls' showers. The showers were actually a compilation of two rooms. The first room was a change room with, toilets and special lockers which the girls could use to store clothes/uniforms, then if you went through another door you came into the actual showers. All team members had their own private showers in their rooms but since these communal showers were closer to the zeta tubes it was easier to access.

Christine grimaced as the stealth suit peeled off her body like a sticky second skin. M'gann was humming a really catchy tune, like a TV jingle. It seemed very familiar to Swift but for the life of her she couldn't remember what it was called.

As they both got down to their boots the door to the showers opened. No sooner had M'gann and Christine turned their heads to look, they heard a loud gagging sound.

"Hello to you too Artemis" Swift droned as she peeled off her mask.

Since her civilian form and hero form both looked rather different Batman had allowed special permission for Christine to not have to wear her masks or shades around the team as long as no one spotted her with her normal reading glasses or her brown coloured contacts. As Robin's identity was too similar to his civilian id he wasn't allowed to take off his shades.

Christine smirked as Artemis' tan skinned face tinged green as she spluttered for fresh air. Her blond hair was covered in white foam.

"Holy COW! What the hell is that?" she held the door open for her teammates as they stepped into the showers. One showerhead was running and letting off a decent amount of steam, so the room was quite nice and toasty.

"You saw the news this morning right?" M'gann sighed as she and Christine stepped under two other showerheads and turned the taps on hot.

"You mean when Swift, Robin and Batman took down that Clayface thing? Yeah I saw that. By the way, cool new superpower" Artemis nose wrinkled as she caught sight of the slime dripping from her younger companion's hair.

"Thanks." Christine grunted grumpily "Because I thoroughly enjoyed that mission"

"Yeah." M'gann rolled her eyes.

There was silence as the three girls scrubbed at their hair. Christine felt her muscles relax as she let the warm water wash over her.

"So how did it go undercover?" she asked loudly over the hum drum of the water.

"Dunno. I couldn't get much info," Artemis spoke lightly but there was a slight edge to her voice that unsettled the little bird.

"Oh ok" Christine turned quickly away back to her scrubbing, missing the worried glances of her comrades.

* * *

**Wayne Manor, August 27 2010, 20:04 EDT**

Gentle piano music wafted through the private gym at Wayne Manor, through a large stereo system. Christine was in the middle of her barre practice, doing her Demi Plié's. Her hair was tied up in a bun and she was dressed in her dark purple ballet leotard, pink dance tights and pale pink satin Pointe shoes.

As she descended down again she looked up at the rings set up on the opposite end of the room on which Dick was practicing his flips. His white and blue gym gear was drenched in sweat and he was scowling and Christine was in no doubt why.

"Just Aqualad" he spat before flipping over twice. He detached himself from the rings and flipped onto a weight. He stumbled off doing a couple of flips and thudded into the wall.

Christine was about to rush over when she saw him punch the wall, leaving a small crater in it. She sighed as Dick plonked down on a bench.

"What are you sighing about?" he spat before taking a swig from his water bottle.

"What's wrong?" Christine turned so that she faced him and continued with Grand Plié's.

Dick groaned and slumped forwards head in his hands. "'What's wrong?' Chris I messed up! I should've known better than to let us all separate!"

"Dick-"

"I can't believe I actually tried to spot the difference between two Wally's when they were both obviously fake"

"Dick listen it-"

"I mean come on! I should've known Clayface would try to sneak up on us! Why didn't I think it through, and now Bruce-"

"DICK!"

Dick felt his head jerk up. Christine had left the bars and was now in front of him. She cupped his face in her hands, gently stroking his dark mop out of his eyes.

"Dick, no one is blaming you for anything. We all screwed up today. I was second in command but I didn't even realise that Kaldur was too distracted to make a proper decision. I was even stupid enough to trust the fake Kaldur and follow him into that trap, but we can't keep harping on like this. We all make mistakes, no matter who or…what we are"

Dick looked into the purple eyes. They avoided his gaze anxiously as her hands slowly dropped from his face to his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. They stayed like that for a few minutes until they heard a tapping on the open door.

They both turned round to see Alfred standing in the doorway, his wrinkled face softened.

"Master Bruce wishes to see you"

Dick didn't get up. Christine rolled her eyes, grabbed his hands and dragged him to the door.

The old butler smiled a twinkle in his dark eyes as his two younger charges made to follow him. He led them through several corridors until he opened a door that opened out onto the outdoor basketball court.

Bruce stood there dressed in a white muscle shirt, track pants and trainers. He bounced the orange basketball into Dick's surprised hands.

"What's this?"

"Training" Bruce smiled "Hand eye co-ordination"

Dick's face split into a wide grin "One on one?"

"If you think you can handle it, besides I don't think your partner's appropriately dressed for a match."

"Oh I don't know Dad" Christine raised her eyebrows and smirked "These blocks in my ballet shoes pack quite a punch when used correctly."

"She has got a point" Dick snickered.

"That being said I think I'd rather go back to my practice. Madame Fletcher would have my neck if she knew I didn't practice, holidays or not. So, so long and adieu gentlemen enjoy your bout" Christine gave a mock bow and headed back down the length of the hall. She smiled softly as she heard the bounce of a ball and her partner's cackle of laughter. She was home.

* * *

**Wayne Manor, August 27 2010, 21:18 EDT**

_She was in a long dark passageway. The walls were made of large stone slabs, weathered and aged. There was a slight draft in the air, and it pushed her forwards urgently._

"Miss Christine? Miss Christine can you hear me?"

_She was barefooted but the floor was smooth and dry. She kept walking, eyeing the walls which were covered in large paintings._

"Sir come quick!"

_The paintings were quite bizarre. They seemed to depict strange creatures._

"What is it Alfred?"

"Master Bruce, I've tried waking her but…"

"Hey Bruce, Al, What's going on?"

_Some were small and imp like, others large and trollish and there were some that looked almost human if not for their strange appendages like tentacles, fangs or claws. Their colours were all faded against the stone._

"Step back Dick. Christine! Christine can you hear me?"

_They seemed to be arranged in a particular order. She followed the length of the passage tracing her fingers over the ancient stones. Hundreds upon hundreds of the creatures stood in rows like some kind of gruesome army._

"Christine! Alfred have you used the smelling salts?"

"I've tried sir, but nothing has worked"

"Have you checked her vitals?"

"I have, she's breathing and her heart rate is normal"

_She finally reached the head of the army. A man was painted, seated on a horse. He had dark hair and was wearing black and grey robes._

"Have you ever tried this?"

_Most of his face was faded away but she could still see the colour of his irises, they were a strange cat-like amber colour. He held a large blade with a jagged edge in his hand._

"Master Dick I don't think-"

_She couldn't explain why, but the man felt horribly familiar…_

SPLASH!

Christine's eyes snapped open as she spluttered for breath. The faces of Alfred, Bruce and Dick were all peering down at her worriedly.

She was still in the gym, by the barre in her ballet gear but she was lying down on the floor. She looked up at the speaker system. It had reached the end of the CD and was waiting to be shut off. Her face and hair was wet and her mind was spinning.

"Where…Where am I?"

"Err…in the gym…at home?" Dick exchanged a worried look with his mentor.

"Think back. What do you remember?" Bruce's strong hands gently pulled her up into a sitting position.

"I…I…" she didn't know whether it was the water she'd been splashed with or not but Christine felt clammy, her heart racing as if she'd just run a mile. She felt Bruce rub her back in soothing circles and gulped down a couple of deep breaths.

"I…was practicing on the barre. Dick was upset about something so I talked to him. Then Alfred came and Dick joined you in a game of basketball. I went back to practice and…"

"And?" Dick looked slightly pale but he put down the empty water bottle in his hands and fetched her sweat towel from the barre. Rather than drying herself she just held it close like a lifeline.

"I was in this passage. It looked like something out of a temple."

"What kind of temple do you think it was?" Bruce kept his grip secure.

"Dunno. Definitely B.C. if the architecture was anything to go by." she shook her head as visions of the dark stone passageway flashed vividly across her eyes.

"It had… pictures on the walls. Not pictographs or script but full on murals, they must have been really old because the paint was faded and the walls were eroded. Their style was rather like ancient Phoenician or…no actually… it could have been Greco-roman. It was definately Doric style and made of limestone and don't get me started on the columns-"

"We won't" Bruce cut across her quickly. "Anything else? Did you hear any voices? Did you see anyone? Feel another presence?"

"I think so…" She replied. Bruce raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"What I mean is…in the painting there was someone. I think he was leading this army."

"Did you recognise him?"

Christine bit her lip looking down at the floor. "I…did but I didn't…if you catch my drift? Like I thought I knew him from somewhere, I just couldn't connect the dots."

She mused to herself as she watched their brows crinkle in small V's in unison. Dick was rubbing his temples with both eyes shut, Alfred was staring rather hard at a random spot on the ground and Bruce brought a black gloved hand to his chin and scratched it.

Her eyes widened. "You're both in uniform?"

Bruce and Dick looked down at themselves. They were indeed dressed in their Batman and Robin uniforms but the cowl and mask were both off.

"We were going to go for patrol. When you didn't respond to our calls we all searched around the house for you. Eventually Alfred found you here"

"I tried to wake you but no matter what I did you wouldn't respond" Alfred sighed. "Then Master Dick here thought to pour the contents of your water bottle on your face. I will admit I had my doubts but it was rather effective"

"No kidding. I'll get changed," Christine made to stand up but stumbled. Bruce caught her before she could hit the ground again. Her legs were shaking so badly that he was holding most of her weight. Not that it made a difference to him. Christine was so light he could probably hold her in one arm above his head without breaking a sweat.

"Robin and I will go. You are going to stay here!"

"WHAT?"

"You heard me. You are staying here and resting."

"But what if-" Christine bit her lip

"If you feel better you can stay in the Batcave and man the coms but that's it! No patrolling. "

"But Dad-"

"No buts. You are not patrolling until I get Leslie and someone from the League to perform a full check on you" Bruce pulled his cowl over his face and gave her a stern bat look.

"Full check?! Honestly Dad, do you think I'm just another damsel in distress or something."

"I wouldn't care if you had the physiology of a Kryptonian; you are still getting a full check up"

"I said I'm fine! Geeze." Christine pushed herself away from him. Her legs were still shaky but she was standing. "See. I can hold my own."

"I can see that but still-"

"Still what Dad? Still. WHAT?"

"You've unlocked a new superpower of which you don't know how to fully control. You've been under severe physical stress for several days now. You've barely had any sleep. You've fainted in the middle of a very light ballet practice and now you can barely keep yourself standing. Does that sound like the definition of someone in perfect health?" Batman growled but this proved to piss her off even more.

"What about you. You stay up for days on end, without rest and, heck, without even food! Oh yes the perfect epitome of health you are" she rolled her eyes.

"Do  **not**  take that tone of voice with me young lady!" Batman barked angrily. "You may be out of uniform but your still under my roof. You are not, I repeat, NOT going on patrol tonight and I don't want to hear from Alfred that you've snuck out on your own either! It's not safe-"

"Not safe? Newsflash  **Batman** " She spat his name with as much venom as she could muster "It's not like I'm ten years old anymore. I am capable of handling myself out there. I do it with the Team all the time. Or do you think I'm just another fragile little girl? You think I don't know that Gotham is a frigging stinking cesspit of lying, thieving, murderous psychopaths. You think I don't know that right now the entire world thinks I'm one of those freaks!"

Batman's stared down at her for a moment taking in the sight of the shaking girl in front of him.

"Christine," Batman growled, albeit gently. Christine shook her head taking a step back.

"Christine wait-" he reached out to grab her shoulder but she swatted it away.

"Just go! Just … leave me alone" and she ran out of the room slamming the door behind her.

"Oh dear" Alfred sighed as they heard the loud, slightly strangled, sob echo some way down the empty hallway.

Dick glanced worriedly between the door and Batman as he reached up to the com in his cowl.

"Batman here…" Batman scowled a little "What is it Superman? Hmm. I see. Are you sure? Here in Gotham? Fine you can leave it to me. No you don't need to come to the cave Clark. My city my rules.*sigh* fine I'll meet you in ten minutes. *sigh* you're already there? Fine I'll come down now. Batman out. Dick, put your mask on."

"What does Superman want?" Dick asked cautiously, because he didn't know if his mentor would explode or not. But Batman merely sighed.

"Francois Lemieux, Metropolis' most deadly hit man has escaped custody and is apparently hiding out in Gotham"

"Oh, so are we going to track him down with Superman?"

"Yes" But Dick could tell that his heart was not truly in it. For one thing Batman would've been more irate at the mention of Superman in his city.

"Can I…uh…" Dick scratched his head nervously and glanced at the door.

"You can go say goodbye to Christine"

"Yeah thanks, see you in five!" and in the blink of an eye he was out the door and zipping down the hall.

Batman and Alfred followed his lead, though they went down to the old piano rather than the staircase. Batman pressed some of the old slightly flat keys and the wall swung forwards revealing a dimly lit dark staircase.

As they descended down into the gloom of the cave Batman couldn't help but notice his old butler was itching not to smirk.

"What?" he glowered and Alfred allowed himself a chuckle.

"Oh Master Bruce, I'm surprised that can't you see it?"

"See what?"

"Who does the young mistress remind you of?" Alfred quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Who?" He grunted.

"Who else but you? If my memory serves me right she's just as precocious, proud and stubborn as you were when you were her age. Except for the fact you were a boy and didn't have to deal with the burden of having superpowers." Alfred's smile grew. Batman sighed looking down at his gloved hands.

"How did you do it Alfred?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you…Raise me? Let me go out and become…what I am"

"It wasn't easy. I can assure you." Alfred's smile softened. "And it never gets easier. Despite how many self books that are out there sir, there is no real manual for parenthood. It is something each parent must figure out for themselves. But considering the present situation permit me to say this; you have been blessed with two wonderful children. For the past four to five years you have raised, loved and protected them as well as any father could even dream of. They have learnt to trust you but now it is your turn to trust them, trust them to make the right decisions when they decide to step out into the world as their own people."

"I do trust them" Batman mumbled scowling at the knowing smile on Alfred's face. He hated it when Alfred gave one of those looks. It was the look of knowing something that he didn't know. And Batman hated not knowing more than he hated having so many superheros in his city.

"You just don't want to let them go?" Alfred nodded. Batman didn't answer. Maybe it was because he knew it was the truth or because he could see the Batcave and the Superman sitting in  **his**  chair.

"I'll take my leave sir" Alfred bobbed his head and walked back up the stairs. As he reached halfway up Dick, now Robin as his mask was on, bounded past him hurriedly.

"Hi Al, bye Al!" his cry echoed in the dark passage

Alfred shook his head fondly and carefully walked back into the manor. He closed the passageway behind him and made his way towards the kitchens. After quickly brewing a cup of strong tea he carefully placed it on a silver tray and came back to the staircase. He looked up the height of it.

"One child down, one more to go" he sighed as he made his way to the east wing where the family's private rooms were situated. He went to the third floor.

There were four rooms in total along the corridor that Alfred walked down; three on the left side; two bedrooms with a nursery in-between (though as there had been no baby in the house since Bruce was born it now served as storage); and one on the right, the master bedroom. The old butler made his way to one of the bedrooms on the left, the one with a brass flower for a doorknob.

There was a pause. "Come in" came a slightly hoarse voice from within.

Alfred pushed open the door easily with one hand and entered.

The room was very different to the manors usual gothic aesthetic and very opposite of the Batcave's deep, heavy atmosphere. It was light, airy and soothing. The walls were painted in Lavender blush white and the ceiling in ivory, with a delicate crystal chandelier in the centre of a ceiling painted with a soft floral design. There was a feminine maple desk and chair on one side flanked by matching bookshelves. Opposite this an entertainment unit complete with ivory plush lounge sat cold and unused. Opposite where Alfred stood was a tall door that led to the balcony outside. Next to the door, tall mullioned windows with a long cushioned window seat let in the moonlight.

Back in the days of its first use, when it was frowned upon for a husband and wife to share a room with each other, it was the room of the Lady of the Manor. Now however it was just called the Lily room, so called because of the portrait of one of the Wayne ancestors, a rather stunning raven haired beauty holding a bouquet of lilies, hanging above the large maple four poster bed with gossamer curtains.

Alfred saw Christine at the window seat, dressed in a long sleeved, high necked old fashioned cotton nightgown. Despite her youth and lack of height she struck a very elegant, very poised figure as she sat side saddled, legs crossed at the ankles, head resting on her elbows and gazing out of the open window with bittersweet longing.

Alfred blinked. If he hadn't known any better he'd have thought he'd stumbled upon Wendy gazing at the second star to the right and awaiting the arrival of Peter Pan at her window. Though if Christine was Wendy then the role of Peter would have to be filled by… He almost snorted into the tray.

Christine turned to him.

"Oh hello Alfred" she quickly wiped at her eyes. Alfred noticed the tear tracks and placed the tray down beside her.

"Camomile?" she sniffed.

He nodded.

"Thank you" she muttered taking it from the tray. She drank a sip and sighed.

"What do I do Alfred?" she looked back outside the window, from which she had a magnificent view of the Manor's extensive grounds which glimmered in the moonlight. "What do I do? I screwed up a mission; the press has convinced the world that I'm a dangerous freak and my Dad is convinced I'm a useless weakling"

Behind her back he rolled his eyes. This child was just as bad as her father sometimes when it came to dealing with failure. But he composed himself as best he could.

"That is absolute nonsense" Alfred sniffed in the way that only an English gentleman could and when she turned around to face him he smiled "Master Bruce thinks no such thing of you. Neither does young Master Dick or I. And even if you were a…'freak' or 'useless weakling' we would care no less about you. But given the current situation we are inclined to worry, your father most of all"

"I know" Christine groaned unceremoniously plonking her head on her elbow. "But I'm thirteen already, and come October I'll be fourteen. I may be short but I'm not such a kid anymore"

"That may be." Alfred raised his eyebrows "But you're still only at the beginning of your own story, there are still so many chapters you have yet to fill in. Your father knows this; he also knows that you are capable of many great things. Don't judge him too harshly. He's lost so much in his life, so much so that he's become paranoid about protecting the precious things he has gained."

"Paranoid? Well that's one way of putting it" she mumbled. Alfred sighed.

"When you have a child of your own, whether it be adopted or biological, you will understand. Now if you will excuse me I believe your father might need me on the computers now, perhaps you would care to join me"

"I… I think I might study some ancient Bialyan for half an hour and then hit the sack early tonight but thank you Alfred" Christine finally smiled and took another sip at her tea. Alfred nodded and left the room.

It was a few hours later when Batman, Robin came through the entrance of the Batcave in the dark Batmobile. When he saw them exiting the car they both looked rather tired.

"Did you catch them sir?" Alfred asked. Robin, who looked dead on his feet, just nodded.

"Is Christine alright?" Batman asked limping slightly as he headed up the steps.

"She went to sleep soon after you left sir"

"Are you sure?" Batman narrowed his eyes but Alfred nodded.

"Quite sure sir and now young Master, a bath and then off to bed with you" he frowned at Robin who groaned like a member of the undead and trudged up the stairs. Batman smirked as he pulled back the cowl.

"That goes for you too Master Bruce"

Bruce's smile faded. He scowled and Alfred smiled oh so benignly as he ushered the grown man up the stairs. They reached the east wing.

"Come now Master Bruce" Alfred was waiting by the door to the Master bedroom tapping his foot.

"A moment Alfred." Bruce quietly opened the door to the Lily Room and peered inside. There was a large lump in the bed. He drew back the nets of gossamer that surrounded it. Sure enough she was there…but so was Dick. The boy was coiled around his partner so tight that his chest seemed glued to her back.

Barely restraining a sigh he tucked the coverlet over them snugly and left them to sleep.


	11. Episode 9: Bereft

**Bialyian Desert, September 4 2010, ? EDT**

A girl in a black bodysuit with a purple leotard and black domino mask turned over. It was really warm and she was sweating profusely. She felt something prodding her.

"Dick stop it." she mumbled keeping her eyes shut. Another prod.

"Dick!" She whined. She was prodded again this time it was really hard.

"OW! What the-" She sat bolt upright so fast that whatever that had been poking at her flew off amidst a cloud of feathers. Wait a moment…feathers?

Swift looked up. A really ugly bird with a bald head and slightly matted dark feathers was perched on the remains of a dead tree, its shoulders hunched and clipping its beak. The vulture glared down at her with suspicious eyes. It had obviously thought that she was another easy meal lying around on the ground. Well it could keep thinking.

She glared back as it flapped upwards into the air. Following its progress she noticed that she was sitting in the shadows of a tall rock. She looked around her. Apart from the rock and herself there was nothing but a sea of golden sand dunes.

A strong gust of hot wind blew around her and she noticed for the first time that her hair was loose. Why would her hair be loose if she was Swift? Swift always kept her hair tied in a bun. Absentmindedly she played with the dark chocolate strands as she stood up. Just where was she?

She looked around again. There in the sand was her imprint and close by was another. Carefully she walked to crouch beside it.

"Dick" she muttered as she took in its size and shape. So she'd been here with Dick had she? As Swift and Robin? Had they been with Batman on a mission? If so how had they got separated from him?

Something rumbled in the distance, something that sounded distinctly like the sound of an engine. Swift thought it would be the Bat-mobile but then thought again. No Batman would never take the Bat-mobile overseas like this… but he would've taken the Bat Plane.

As she looked up again at the skies, Swift felt someone clamp a black gloved hand over her mouth. Whoever it was pulled her back into the shadows of the rock as an army truck with three soldiers inside rolled past quickly. As she struggled against her captor she caught a glimpse of the trucks bonnet on which a black and yellow flag was painted.

Swift recognised the flag at once. It was the flag of Bialya. But what was she doing in Bialya?

She struggled harder against the person who held her.

"Chrissy stop its me!" a voice hissed in her ear.

Swift stopped struggling.

"Dick?" she asked her voice muffled. The hand around her mouth slowly dropped as she turned her head to face her masked partner. They were really close, so close that as she turned her lips grazed his.

They jumped apart quickly, brushing themselves off even though there was no sand left on their uniforms.

"Sorry"

"It's ok…" Robin was running his hands through his hair nervously. "It was a…accident? Or was it?" he smirked.

"Dick!" She whined blushing to the roots of her dark hair. He cackled softly and pulled her into a one armed hug. Swift sighed and reached up to tap her comm.

* * *

_It was dark and warm_

_"Christine, wake up" She heard Dick's voice in her ears, slightly echoed,_

_She opened her eyes slowly. Dick was sitting on the side of her bed shaking her shoulder gently. As he saw her open her eyes he smiled_

_"Come on missy time to get up. It's a big day. Alfred's got waffles in the kitchen."_

* * *

_Batman was standing in front of a holographic map of Bialya. He was looking stern._

_"Maintain radio silence at all times. Swift how is your Bialyan?"_

_Swift gave an exasperated glare._

_Batman narrowed his eyes. "Don't give me_ _**that** _ _look. If you are discovered by the officials it is up to you as the most fluent speaker to tell the authorities that you are repairing a part of your jet so that you can make your way to Quraq. Tell them you are meeting me there. Only use force if and when necessary."_

* * *

Swift gulped.

"What happened?" Robin eyed her suspiciously

"Robin…do you remember Batman telling us to maintain radio silence?"

"Yeah…speaking of that check this out" he pulled up his holo-computer and opened a file. The map of Bialya was peppered with small titbits of plans and data.

"What the hell! Where the f- did March go? Why the hell are we in Bialya in the first place?" Swift grabbed her partner's arm and shook it as if begging the hologram to change and be a joke. But it just stayed put, mocking her outrage with its blue sterility.

"Hey! Hey!" Robin jerked his arm out of her grip and massaged his wrist. "Bialya's just the tip of the iceberg. Get a load of this" he pulled out a large scrap of dark material and handed it to Swift.

She spread it out.

"Ok…What's Superman's symbol doing here?" she eyed the S shield which was red on black.

Robin shrugged.

"Dunno. I found it while you were still asleep. I've been trying to find other clues but none too helpful so far."

Swift groaned and flumped down to sit in the sand. "Great. Something to do with Superman is on the loose. It's September but we don't remember anything past March. AND we're stuck in Bialya, Queen Bee's turf, illegally!

Robin sighed as he sat down beside her and took out a small biscuit from his belt, one of Alfred's treats.

"Here take this"

"What about you?"

"I already had one earlier" he shrugged but he was avoiding her eye.

"Dick-"

"You need it more than I do"

Swift sighed and took the biscuit from him. It gave a hard snap as she broke it into two uneven halves.

She handed him the larger half.

"No give me the smaller one"

"Dick-"

"Just give it here"

"NO! You've used up more energy than I have. You take the bigger-"

"Oh god dammit Christine!" he snatched the smaller piece from her other hand.

"Dick-NO!" but he'd already stuffed the stolen piece in his mouth. He swallowed it quickly.

"Don't make me stuff it in your mouth" he glared mulishly at her.

Swift blanched but took a tiny bite of her cookie. It had hardened slightly because it had dried out in the desert heat but was otherwise delicious.

Robin smiled as she swallowed the last bite and looked back at the sand dunes. Swift looked around as well. Had it not been for their desperate situation she might have considered this place beautiful. She could just imagine the look on her best friend, Freddy's, face if she could see where Swift was now.

Freddy (full name Fredericka Olivia Lantern) was an avid photographer and a good one too. Her mother, Jacqueline was one of America's top fashion designers and her father Ludwig was a magazine editor. Needless to say she was well exposed to the arts crowd and Swift always got the latest of scoops of the fashion world and the latest trends for free every season.

She narrowed her eyes and looked up at the rock above. If only she was wearing something less dark and clingy in this heat…

"Did you go up and get a good look?" She quirked an eyebrow at Robin.

"I tried. There are a couple of craters around. But they could just be from the tanks firing off. Queen Bee's got swarms of her guys buzzing around"

Swift giggled. "Oh man! You really couldn't resist could you?"

"Hey! I'm not the power hungry mind controlling woman who decided to name herself after an insect. BZZZZ BZZZ BZZZZZZZ" he held both his hands to his sides and began making buzzing sounds.

Swift laughed harder as something in her belt beeped.

They both stopped abruptly. Swift flipped out her holo-computer. A GPS beacon was flashing on and off in neon yellow on her map of Bialya. It seemed to be somewhere west, close to the border of Quraq.

"Is that us?" Robin asked

"I don't think so…Batman's dot is grey, my dot's purple, yours is light blue and the bat-plane's white, see?" She tapped her belt and Robin's and instantly her own purple dot and a blue dot appeared almost overlapping each other, a little ways south of the yellow dot but slightly closer inland.

"So if it's not Batman, you, me or the Bat-plane then what did we set a GPS on in Bialya?" Robin quirked an eyebrow

"Dunno. Let's find out"

* * *

Swift and Robin were walking through dune, after dune coming closer to the yellow dot that Robin's holo computer displayed.

It was night time, but the sky was clear and the moon was bright enough to go by and the air was considerably cooler. They still had enough water between them and each had one of Alfred's cookies in their pockets. They were trying to save them just in case they were still stuck in the desert tomorrow but so far so good. They talked here and there, trying to solve the mystery of the strange coloured dot.

"I wish I could remember why we put a GPS marker here" Robin muttered as they ran up the slope of another dune.

"You're talking to the wrong person. Get down" Swift hissed pulling him down so that they were crouched just below the crest. They peered over the top.

In the dip between the dunes was a large black box.

"Guessing that's why" Robin muttered shutting his holo-computer off. Quietly the two of them snuck over to it.

No sooner had they taken a step towards the box, four Bialyan troops popped out of the sand.

"[Her Majesty wants them alive]" one of them shouted in Bialyan as they rushed forwards, guns at the ready. Swift nodded at Robin and he threw down a pellet from his belt.

Instantly dark smoke filled the area. In the confusion Swift turned invisible. Quietly she snuck behind two confused soldiers. They jumped in fright as their guns were yanked out of their hands, the magazines unloaded and vanishing into thin air. Their terrified yells were cut short as they got hit with something hard.

Swift kept the magazines as she moved to the next set of soldiers, using them as weights to her hands when she aimed invisible strikes. The soldiers crumpled in confusion, not knowing who or what was hitting them.

The smoke was clearing enough and the soldiers were beginning to regroup. Swift saw Robin as he flipped onto the head of a soldier using him as a base as he kicked two of his fellows out cold.

She ran over to him quickly as three troops lined up. "[Enough of this. Open fire!]" their leader yelled.

Robin flipped, dodging bullets left right and centre. Swift reappeared as she aimed three exploding purple birdarangs at the soldiers feet just as something swooshed past them stealing their guns

"I'll hold that. Thanks" a dark figure that was defiantly not a soldier stopped between two of the bewildered soldiers before super-speeding back into the fray.

"Kid!" Swift cried out happily, as Kid Flash, in a strange dark grey/black version of his uniform, zoomed past knocking out two men aiming their guns at her.

"Hey babe" he winked as she punched the lights out of a goon behind her.

Two troops attacking Robin flew away from him, pushed by an invisible force. They all looked up as a girl with green skin and red hair de-camouflaged over them in the air but they didn't have time to stop and chat. Within a minute Swift and Robin were back to back fighting in the centre of five soldiers.

They managed to take out four of them but the last one dropped his gun and ran for it. Swift was about to tag him with her birdarang when a green arrow flew through the air splitting into something like a rope which wrapped itself tight around his legs. He tripped head first into the sand.

They all turned to face the crest of a sand dune where a girl dressed in green and bearing Green Arrow's symbol was poised to fire another arrow. When she saw that they were finished she lowered it and stepped down towards them.

Robin ran to Kid Flash. "KF! Man it's good to see a familiar face" they high fived.

"You said it!" Swift gave Kid a brief hug. Kid smirked at the slightly put out look on Robin's face.

"Hey Rob…Memory loss?" he asked as she let go.

"Six months!" Swift growled in frustration.

"Yeah lets hog tie these creeps and compare notes" Robin nodded. They gathered most of the Bialyans and kept them under the shade of a dune close by.

"So we're a team?" Swift asked the green skinned girl who'd introduced herself as Miss Martian.

"The four of us and Superboy" Miss Martian nodded.

Robin and Swift exchanged glances as the former pulled out the black cloth with the red "S" shield.

"Then this must be his" Robin handed it over.

"Yes" Miss Martian smiled in relief "Did you see him?"

"I think we did" The green clad, blonde archer girl, Artemis pointed between herself and Kid Flash, who scowled.

"Feral boy? Some teammate. He attacked us"

"He didn't know who we are." Artemis sighed before crying out "I don't know who we are!"

"Mind you I do remember Batman ordering radio silence and for me to make up a strange cover story" Swift scratched her head.

"Well I don't know about the cover story but the radio silence… definitely a Batman thing to do. So our team must work for him!" Robin nodded vigorously.

"ok how do you know we don't work for MY mentor" Kid smirked smugly tapping the lightning symbol on his chest. Instantly the dark grey and black of his uniform turned to its real yellow and red.

"Whoa! This is so cool!" he grinned continuing to poke his insignia.

"We look ridiculous" Artemis snapped before rounding on Kid "Quit touching yourself!"

"That sounds so wrong" Robin snickered into Swift's ear. She choked back a laugh as Artemis continued yelling.

"We need our memories back!"

Suddenly their surroundings changed. Christine looked around. They seemed to be in an organic chamber with multifaceted screens.

"Whoa! Where the hell-" Swift began watching as she saw an image of Batman talking flash over one screen.

Miss Martian appeared in front of them, her voice echoing slightly as she spoke

"I've brought you into my mind to share with you what I've remembered so far. But I need your help. Together our broken memories can form a whole if you open your minds to mine"

"You want to pop through our private thoughts?" Artemis sounded quite affronted.

Miss Martian put her hands up in token of peace. "I have no wish to intrude, but-"

"You need to hack our minds-" Swift began

"to figure out what happened to us. Got it go." Robin finished. They both grinned and Kid Flash rolled his eyes.

"Typical" he muttered before smirking "My brain's all yours. Try not to let its brilliance overwhelm you"

"Or underwhelm you" Swift smirked

"Hey why isn't anybody ever just whelmed?" Robin asked. Everyone else just shrugged.

Artemis was still looking very nervous, but Kid gave her hand a tight squeeze and she sighed.

"Last six months only. And only what you need"

Miss Martian nodded before closing her eyes. Four blue glowing hands reached out from the top of her head, latching themselves onto her other teammates.

Swift closed her eyes and saw Batman standing in front of a holo screen again. The map was that of Bialya.

"The Watch Tower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan desert. Spectral analysis revealed elements non-terrestrial in origin. Find out what happened at that sight. What landed there. Bialya is a rouge state ruled by Queen Bee and not a member of the Leagues UN charter. All communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence at all times. Swift how is your Bialyan?"

Swift felt herself give an exasperated glare.

Batman narrowed his eyes. "Don't give me  **that**  look. If you are discovered by the officials it is up to you as the most fluent speaker to tell the authorities that you are repairing a part of your jet so that you can make your way to Quraq. Tell them you are meeting me there. Only use force if and when necessary. You'll land in Quraq on Bialya's border. Two clicks from the hot zone"

The scene changed. The team was standing amongst the dunes close to the spot where the grey box stood.

"All clear" Robin said pulling down a pair of binoculars.

Swift's memory then flashed to a position where she was crouched just behind the crest of a sand dune. She was in between Robin and Kid Flash looking down on a Bialyan military tent. They all glanced at each other before moving away.

"Set up here" Aqualad said to her once she and the others had returned and she gave the order to Superboy who went back into the bio ship and retrieved the large grey box. Superboy pressed a button and different panels opened out of it.

He stood aside Robin got down to work.

"We'll be up and running in no time" he informed her and Kid Flash who were standing behind him.

"Jackpot!" Kid Flash smirked as he read the scans "the site's lousy with Zeta beam radiation"

"Detecting non-terrestrial trace elements from the tent" Swift read the scans again and pointed to the screens.

"I'll check it out on camouflage mode" Miss Martian suggested helpfully.

"Good idea. Go" Aqualad agreed

"Be careful" Superboy said shyly.

"And maintain telepathic contact" Aqualad stood beside Swift looking down at her holo computer which had a GPS tracker on the tent. Swift looked in the direction of the tent. She felt slightly worried as the wind gave an unusual shift.

"I will Aqualad" Miss Martian nodded.

Suddenly they were back in the physical plane.

"Aqualad!" they all gasped in shock and alarm.

"Where is he?" Swift asked worriedly

"What happened next?" Robin agreed.

"I don't know, that's the last thing that I-we remember" Miss Martian was wide eyed.

Artemis looked down at hers and Kid Flash's connected hands and the two jumped apart.

"We landed twenty four hours ago." Kid avoided the smirks from the two birds opposite him "If Kaldur's been wandering in the desert that long then…that's not good for a guy with gills"

"Yeah but now we know to look for him" Swift trailed off as Robin pulled up his holo computer.

"He's close!" he pointed to the map on his screen "But he's not moving"

* * *

They found him a couple of miles north of their previous position.

M'gann held him up creating a mental link whilst Swift sat opposite her pouring a tiny bit of water onto his gills on his neck from one of the water pouches on her belt. This seemed to sooth him slightly but he was still in severe physical distress.

Kaldur may have been able to breathe on land but at the core of his biology he was a water breather. When he wasn't in the water he needed to constantly absorb moisture from the air through his skin to keep his body temperature cool enough to function properly. But this desert air was dry and arid and without the water in it he could possibly de-hydrate himself to death.

He was already very delirious and jabbering in his unconscious state in rapid Atlantian.

"I can't restore his memories in this condition" M'gann frowned as Swift poured a trickle down Kaldur's throat. He coughed slightly but swallowed.

"He needs immediate re-hydration." Swift looked up at M'gann with worry.

"Call the bio ship" Robin nodded.

"It's out of range, but you can get there fast" She looked at Wally who started.

"He's too heavy" he sounded exhausted "and I'm too low on fuel. Right now I couldn't even carry her." he jerked a thumb at Artemis who scowled.

"Why not just levitate him back?"

"I can't. I have to find Superboy" M'gann stood up "Six months ago he didn't even exist. He has no memories, just animal impulse. I'm the only one who can help him."

"Superboy's indestructible. Just ask those tanks. It's Aqualad that needs your help"

But M'gann clutched her head in pain.

"No! Superboy's in pain" and without further ado she jumped off into the air.

"M'gann wait!" Artemis called.

"We still don't know what erased our memories! It could happen again!" Robin called.

But she was gone.

"Well that's just perfect!" Wally cried out angrily kicking sand.

"I know you're out of juice but take a chill!" Swift snapped continuing to pour water over Kaldur's gills as the other's turned to her "Yes M'gann's gone. Deal with it. Even with our water pouches Robin and I can't keep him running for very long, he might not be able to make it. What we need to do is get Kaldur back to the Bio Ship pronto."

"And since when did you start giving orders?" Wally sneered down at her. Robin glared at him about to intervene but Swift stood up.

"Since I was the one Kaldur chose as second in command, so just you watch it zippy!" Her eyes only reached Wally's chin but she delivered a glare so fierce that the older boy took a step back.

"Ok! OK!" Robin came between the two both hands up. "Let's all just calm down"

He paused as Kaldur began moaning again in Atlantian.

"Got the bio ship's co-ordinates" Robin said as he picked up one of Kaldur's arms.

"Let's go!"Swift barked. Wally grumbled but picked up the other arm as Artemis and Swift picked up Kaldur's legs.

Slowly they began dragging him over the dunes.

Kaldur kept groaning, sporadically calling for something in Atlantian.

"Do you know what he's saying?" Robin asked Swift who shook her head.

"Nope." She popped the P. Kid Flash looked surprised.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." She nodded

"Come on Baywatch. I know Swift's brilliant with languages but there's a limit to how many a person can know" Artemis folded her arms.

"Actually there isn't" Swift muttered. "At least not with me" Artemis raised an eyebrow.

Robin grunted as they heaved Kaldur up a dune. "Artemis how many languages do you think Swift knows?"

"Dunno about ten?" Artemis shrugged.

He smirked "Actually it's around fifty eight."

Artemis and Wally both dropped the limbs they were each holding "Fifty what?!"

"Fifty eight" Swift nodded. "and that's not including dialects"

"How is that even possible?" Wally's eyes were popping out of his sockets.

"So how does it work?" Artemis sounded interested. Swift thought for a moment.

"I didn't used to know or rather I knew but I didn't think of it like a superpower…but after everything that's happened...I think it's something like my invisibility or my flying. I've just had it for as long as I can remember and it feels so natural. The only difference is, is that Batman has known all about it. It really comes in handy whenever we need something translated, like when we have clues from the Riddler or other stuff."

Robin snickered in front.

"It's so fun" he cackled "you say a word and ask her to say it in as many other languages as she can and you get so many. Hah!"

Swift rolled her eyes "Robin loves testing out with the swear words"

Artemis and Wally smirked and picked up Kaldur's limbs again. As they did so he murmured.

"Tula…Tula…"

"What's a Tula?" Wally cocked an eyebrow.

"I told you I don't know Atlantian" Swift huffed. Kaldur was starting to feel really heavy.

"You see the power only works if I can hear the language spoken aloud and see the written scriptures it takes me between a week or two to learn. If I only hear or only see the words then it takes around a month. I don't know Atlantian because the surface world doesn't have many books and I haven't heard Kaldur or anyone else speak Atlantian."

"But it's still so cool" Wally sounded impressed "I mean being able to fly on the winds is a pretty cool superpower don't get me wrong"

"But being able to pick up and understand any language…" Artemis smiled "That's…that's a gift"

Swift was glad it was so dark because she felt herself blush right to her ears. Then she tripped.

"whoa!" they all stumbled backwards, tumbling down the dune.

"Sorry" Swift mumbled as they all stood up. Kaldur groaned in pain.

"It's ok. What did you trip on?" Robin asked dusting the sand off his cape.

"Over there look!" Wally sped up the hill and pulled out a large piece of cloth, a couple of large wooden poles and some rope.

"Canvas?" Artemis felt the material.

"The Bialyan soldiers must've built a tent here earlier" Swift was examining the poles. They were quite long but strong.

"Talk about convenient" Robin grinned taking the two poles. He quickly measured them against Kaldur's body.

"Yep. This'll do." He snatched the ropes and cloth from Kid Flash and began tying it between the poles creating .

"Perfect"

They all grinned.

* * *

They'd almost reached the co-ordinates of the bio ship when Swift heard it. She and Robin were now walking in front with Wally and Artemis pulling Kaldur on the makeshift stretcher.

They'd not talked for over an hour now so Swift was able to hear quite distinctly the sound of trucks in the distance.

She glanced at Robin who nodded in understanding. He checked his holo map.

"Over there quick" they darted behind a large rock.

Three Bialyan trucks drove past.

"Mnm… Tula de la meta eta el Atlantis teba ose!" Kaldur squirmed.

"Shh Kaldur quiet now" Artemis gently stroked his forehead.

Swift tore her eyes away from her friend's suffering to peer over the rock with Robin. Rows of soldiers had gotten out of the trucks and scouting out the land. She checked her holo computer.

"Damn and we're so close" She cursed.

"But we can't risk a fire fight with Aqualad K.O.'d like this" Robin looked back at Kaldur.

"It's not just him. I'm way out of juice" Poor Wally was now panting. He'd not eaten for hours and was now running on his muscle mass. Swift could've sworn he looked a thinner than earlier.

"And I'm almost out of arrows" Artemis showed them her quiver which had barely five arrows left.

She turned to look for Swift to say something, but neither bird was there.

Swift was in the air but flying low. She herself was running on an almost empty tank and could barely keep her concentration on keeping herself both flying and invisible at the same time. Eventually she landed close to Robin and dropped off some of her birdarangs.

"Just take them" she huffed

Robin nodded before pressing his lips close to the blades. He let off a tiny cackle before dumping them in a line along the ground.

Once he was done he grabbed Swift by the hand and dragged her behind him. They came back just as Artemis was glaring at Wally.

"Hey amnesia remember. Completely forgot how truly annoying you are."

"Oh and like you're the goddess of congeniality" Wally snorted.

"Yeash! Get a room!" Robin rolled his eyes.

"Dude where were you two?" Wally was looking down at Swift who was kneeling beside Robin, looking just as knackered as he felt.

"Breaking radio silence" she puffed pressing a button in her utility belt.

They heard a loud beeping somewhere distant and then a multitude of Robin's slightly creepy cackles.

The troops footsteps died away as they went to investigate the noise. There were several loud bangs and suddenly the sky above was filled with dark smog.

"That's our queue move!" Robin grabbed Swift tugging her along behind as Artemis and Wally dragged Kaldur.

They met no one as they walked around the area of smoke. Robin sniffed.

"Swift you didn't by chance hand me the ones with the knock out gas did you?"

"I don't know, probably" Swift shrugged. Her legs were dragging behind so badly. She tried to hoist herself with the winds but they wouldn't budge.

"Damn. Can't fly anymore" she muttered.

"It's ok" Robin grunted as they ran up one more dune. As they crossed the crest they all sighed with relief.

"Thank the lord" Kid cried out laughing. They ran inside.

Immediately Swift sat down in the cargo bay fishing out from their extra supplies. Robin went to the helm and ordered the ship to create a small medical bed on which Artemis and Kid Flash dragged Aqualad onto it, the latter immediately going off to raid the food supplies.

"Aha!" Swift shouted triumphantly pulling out a drip bag full of water. She dashed to Aqualad's side and inserted the drip into his arm. Within a few moments his breathing was slowing down and his body temperature was back to normal.

"Well that's one thing down" She sighed going off to sit on her seat which was the middle row on the right side of the ship.

She turned her back to them all as she unzipped the top of her suit.

"You wanna unzip here?" Artemis raised her eyebrows.

"Not completely. Just my top half"

Swift sighed with relief as her suit peeled off. Her sweat had made it stick painfully to her skin and it prickled on contact with the cool night air.

Kid Flash choked as he caught sight of the back strap of her black sports bra.

Swift turned around to face them.

Robin turned bright red. He'd known Swift the longest out of all the team but he'd never seen her wear so little before. Being only thirteen years old she had always been rather conservative with her clothing choices and her uniform was designed to streamline her body and hide her form in the shadows.

However beneath all that her body was quite mature. She already had a defined small hourglass waist line, her hips were wider than most of her other classmates and her boobs were already a B-cup in size.

"What?" she raised her eyebrows in annoyance at the two boys whose jaws had dropped.

Wally was about to splutter when Swift just glared at him and he shut up.

"Not bad" Artemis smirked eyeing her boobs also as Swift came over to assess Kaldur's condition.

"Lorna Jane?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Um hmm" Swift nodded "it's got soft underwire and small padding over the front. Very comfortable"

"I'll bet it is. Did you get it online?"

"Na. I've got a friend who's got connections in the fashion industry. They get heaps of this stuff for free. I could pitch in a word to get you some." She added the last bit in a low whisper because Wally and Robin were listening very intently gazing at her mostly bare back.

"No it's cool I'm fine I don't need any" Artemis but she leaned in to whisper her measurements into Swift's ear anyway.

At that moment Miss Martian's voice appeared in her head. She sounded excited.

_Hey everybody, I've got Superboy. He's back to normal and we're on our way._

Kaldur sat up at once, wide eyed.

"Who are you?" he gasped looking between Swift and Artemis in fear as they tried to settle him back down onto his back "And how did you get inside my head?"

_Hello Megan, Aqualad's memories. I knew I forgot something._

_Aww man! Me too._ Wally complained loudly snapping his fingers

_I didn't get a souvenir for the mission_

_Don't worry. Got the souvenir thing covered_  M'gann sounded quite smug.

Swift looked out the front of the ship. She could see a dot high in the sky and something zooming towards them on the ground.

_What is that?_

Swift frowned.

 _It's some alien sphere. Superboy made friends with it_  M'gann explained.

 _Can I keep it?_ Superboy sounded excited.

_We'll take it back to the cave; see what Batman thinks, 'kay Superboy?_

_Ok._  She felt his happiness through the link and was like a little child bringing home an obscure pet to adopt.

Wally tossed to her a protein bar from a crate. She chewed it savouring the chocolaty, nutty taste with satisfaction. In a few moments everything would be back to normal.

The computers on the bioship beeped.

"Incoming message from Batman" Robin turned in his seat, still very red.

" _Batman to team._ " Batman's face appeared on the front of them on a large moniter. He looked very angry. " _Where have you been? I've been calling you all for hours_ " he glared hard at Robin and Swift in particular.

 _"Swift get put your top back on, before you catch a chill"_  he snapped but Swift took off her mask and slumped in a heap onto her chair.

"My boobs have been pushed up to my ears, my underwear's about a mile up my butt and I'm sweating so badly that I'm killing all the flies that come near me. So no, Batman. I'm staying. Just. Like. This. Thank you"

She chewed on a second protein bar that was handed to her and glared defiantly at the screen. Swift saw a flash of blue and red behind him.

"Hello Superman, what are you doing skulking in the dark? That's my dad's job isn't it?" she heard Robin cackle.

The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight both looked rather affronted at the little thirteen year old half naked girl who was smirking in their faces, quite content to bash their egos with her baseball bat of shrewd wit.

"It's just League Business Swift, nothing too important" Superman shifted uncomfortably in his spot avoiding her eye. "By the way, the planet is doing an exclusive piece on your press conference so I suggest you keep your top on"

"Why? Don't like what you see Man of Steel?" she sat up straight, pushing her chest forwards intentionally and swishing her hair behind her shoulders. Superman's face was redder than Robin's uniform and so in fact was Robin's.

"Swift…I-i-its not like I…" Superman stopped short. Batman was glaring so darkly and so venomously.

"It's not like you what, boy scout?" he snarled.

Superman gulped.

"Nothing Batman. Nothing. Bye!" they saw him fly out of the screen. Batman glared at them all.

"Rest up when you get to the cave. Then debrief tomorrow morning. No excuses" he flipped the screen off.

A moment's silence. Then Artemis and Wally cracked up.

"I can't believe you just did that" Wally hiccupped slightly as he slumped in his seat.

"I just did. Besides he totally deserved it" Swift folded her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"Did you see how fast he flew?" Artemis nodded in agreement slumping to the floor on her knees.

"He had to." Swift smirked "Dad would've killed him otherwise"

Kaldur was staring at Swift in shock. "Batman is your father?"

"What? Oh right memory loss. Yeah he kind of is." she nodded before rushing up to wrap her arms around Robin from behind.

"Why so red boy wonder?" She giggled into his ear.

"I-I" he stuttered as she pressed her chest against the back of his neck and kissed the top of his head "Oh look M'gann and Superboy are back" he pointed to the back ramp as the Martian and clone flew up the ramp.

Swift giggled running up to hug Superboy who caught her, lifting her feet off the ground as he engulfed her in a big bear hug completely unperturbed by her semi nude form. But then again he too was topless.

Robin turned away looking down at himself. "Shit" he gritted his teeth, grimacing as he crossed his legs.

They definitely needed to get home fast.


	12. Episode 10: Targets

**Wayne Manor September 7 2010, 05:14 EDT**

He crept into the Lily room, a wide grin spread over his face and his blue eyes shining with mischief. He ninja crept over to the large maple wood bed and pulled back the gossamer curtains. He was silent like a ghost as he raised his hands over his head, poised to strike the girl tangled in the purple sheets.

"Don't even think about it Dick" she smirked eyes still closed.

"Damn" Dick deflated flumping down onto the bed beside her. Christine turned round opening her eyes and grinned. Dick was wearing a black Batman T-shirt and yellow boxers.

"What's so funny" he quirked an eyebrow. Christine lifted the covers to reveal a black Batman T-shirt with tiny yellow shorts.

Dick snorted as he eyed the T-shirt then his eyes travelled down towards the little shorts.

"Aren't you cold?" he tugged on the drawstrings on the waistband.

"You sound like dad"

"Oh really? So… if I told you to take these off and put on something that is…I don't know… hotter…?" He smirked slyly.

"I would turf you out of this room"

"Oh really?" but then he saw her eyes narrow.

"OW BRUCE! ALFRED! HELP!"

A few moments later both Alfred and Bruce were at the door looking worried. They looked down to the floor.

Christine was sitting astride on Dick's back, his stomach on the floor. She held his wrists in one hand over his head whilst the other one was twisting his ear painfully. Bruce, still in his plain white T-shirt and dark track pants chuckled under his breath as Alfred, already ready in his suit with a duster in his hand, shook his head sighing heavily.

"We keep warning you Master Dick. Now reap what you sew"

"Traitors!" Dick yelled so loudly that it startled Christine.

He managed to roll them over so he was on top. But before he could get a good grip she rolled him onto his side. The two grown men watched amusedly as the two teenagers play fought on the floor. They'd just gotten to grab the goose feather pillows when someone else appeared behind Bruce and Alfred in the doorway.

"What's going on?" the man yawned wide. He was tall; muscular and was wearing blue tartan print flannel pyjamas that matched his eyes which were covered by a mop of black hair.

"Sorry for the inconvenient wakeup Mr. Kent." Alfred nodded at Clark, barely suppressing a smile as Dick and Christine scrambled to their feet.

"But it seems our younger charges have decided to have a little bout to begin their morning"

Immediately Dick aimed to grab Christine's collar but she slid to the side. Deftly she struck his side with her fist. Dick grunted but recovered by sweeping her legs with his foot. She thudded on the ground but rolled over to avoid his knee into her stomach. She slid up smoothly to stand and began moving round Dick in a circle. The effect was almost cat like as she stalked, feet barely making a noise around the carpet. Dick followed her looking her up and down and smirking. He flipped over her head to stand behind her. Christine didn't move as he grabbed one of her arms and pulled it into a lock behind her back.

She waggled her eyebrows once and Dick's smug smirk faltered. He hissed as she pushed her hips back into his groin and his grip on her arm slackened. Deftly she threw her whole body weight backwards and they both fell, Christine's back landing on top of Dick's front.

She was about to roll off him when he locked his legs around her waist.

"Let go Dick" Christine grunted trying to roll off as Dick held onto her like a koala.

"Still think their just partners?" Clark muttered to Bruce who merely gave a stiff shrug before calling out to his kids.

"Come on. Since you're both in the mood for a sparring session, you can do some early morning training. You have ten minutes to get to the gym."

"Ok!" Dick detached himself off Christine and hurried out of the room. Bruce closed the door behind him and began to walk down the hall.

"Training? At five in the morning?" Clark hissed as soon as everyone else was out of sight.

"You have a problem with that?" Bruce glared at him

"They're kids. Shouldn't they…I don't know. Sleep in? Have some fun?"

"Oh they have fun alright." Bruce opened the door to his room.

"Bruce, I fail to see how training first thing in the morning is fun."

"Then maybe you should come and see for yourself before judging" the door snapped in his face.

Clark's eyes widened in shock, but he made his way back to his guest room, which was located on the second floor. He quickly got dressed in some sporty clothes, a blue T- shirt, sweat pants and trainers. He sped off towards the indoor gym where Bruce was already waiting in a black muscle shirt and dark track pants.

He heard smaller footfalls as Dick and Christine ran down the hall towards them both in white sleeveless gymnastics tunics and black leggings. Both were barefoot. He looked down at Bruce's feet. He too was barefooted.

Clark saw the mat on the floor and quickly took off his own shoes.

Bruce raised his eyebrows and opened the door.

This was going to be difficult.

* * *

They were all sitting down in the kitchen for breakfast.

Alfred was cooking up a storm for Christine as she wrote in her crossword. Recently she seemed to have developed quite an appetite and was eating just as much as Wally did every morning. She was still dressed in her training gear but with a pair of sandals and a white hoody on top. Dick was munching on his cereal for once not grinning but glancing up at the two adults opposite him. Bruce was sitting and reading various sheets of papers quite relaxed but Clark was looking haggard as he shovelled a piece of poached egg into his mouth.

Thanks to his Kryptonian DNA he wasn't physically fatigued, but mentally he was exhausted. If there was one thing that Bruce could truly be better than him at it was strategy and manipulation and he'd certainly drilled both concepts into his younger partners' brains.

Once he'd watched the kids train with Bruce in martial arts, he was down to the Batcave where they had a complete obstacle course set up. Bruce had then smirked and invited Clark to join in the exercise. The challenge had been simple enough, a game of catch the flag. Except with superpowers and Clark would be on his own against Dick and Christine.

Despite the fact he knew they'd been trained by one of the League's most deadly members, Clark had expected it to be easy to defend his flag and go directly for the kids. But it was not so.

Clark had only seen Hawkegirl and Hawkman work so seamlessly together, but they were a married couple. Even as kids the Bat's little birds were a force to be reckoned with. Individually they were great but together they were brilliant. They had the right chemistry, the right thinking and some of the best combo's that fit both their styles.

Needless to say it made Bruce's day when whatever Clark had for an ego was crushed when Dick distracted Clark long enough for Christine to sneak the flag back over their line with her invisibility powers.

"What is it?" Clark frowned as Bruce scowled at the papers.

"Your transcript drafts for Christine's press conference…aren't they a bit…too childish"

"Bruce, we're trying to appeal to the public. Swift may be your partner on the field but she's a kid. They need to see that."

_Clark, call me a kid one more time I'll grab the bar of kryptonite from downstairs and shove it up your ass._

Christine scowled but refrained from speaking her mind. Clark was doing her a huge favour in helping organise and preparing her for her press conference this afternoon. He was even going to tutor her in public speaking for most of the morning until it was time to go. And she hated public speaking, just as much as she hated being treated like a little kid.

"Pass it here" she gestured to Bruce who nodded. She took the paper and scanned it thoroughly.

She rolled her eyes.

"Clark I'm grateful for what you're doing but really. This" she circled a large portion of the bottom paragraph. "Is making me sound like I'm saying 'oh everyone is victimising me, I'm so hurt'. I don't know about you but I find that kind of person rather pathetic"

"Then what would you do about it?" Clark frowned. He really had put all his efforts into helping this kid. But it wasn't his fault he didn't know much about her personality. He often found her harder to work with than he did with Bruce and that was saying something as the Dark Knight was one of the most guarded people he'd ever known.

Christine raised her eyebrows and took out a red pen from her pencil case. She worked in silence, writing a new transcript on the back of the draft, occasionally glancing at Dick who was leaning over to watch.

The boy raised his eyebrows.

"Err are you sure about saying that Chris…oh…I see now. Ok."

"What?" Clark leaned over to see but Christine hid the draft behind her arm and glared at him and Dick who immediately went back to devouring his cereal.

After a few more moments she clicked the pen shut.

"Done" she handed it to Clark who took it and read.

She smirked as his eyebrows went higher and higher up towards his hairline.

Silently he handed it to Bruce who took it. Alfred leaned over his charge's shoulder to read it too.

"This could work." He nodded albeit with pride. It must've been that gift with languages that made her so good at writing. Though surprisingly she wasn't as good with mathematics and computers, which was Dick's forte.

Christine got a beep on her holo watch and checked it.

"Oh sorry, I forgot. I have to drop something off at Mt Justice today. It won't take too long?" She looked to Bruce who nodded once before she dashed off.

* * *

**Mount Justice September 7 2010, 06:41 EDT**

"I'm late, late, late. Whoa there!"

Christine crashed as she turned a corner and landed flat on her butt.

"Ow…" she groaned as a muscular dark arm with an eel tattoo pulled her up to her feet.

"Swift, I'm so sorry, are you alright" Kaldur patted her arms down checking for any injury.

"I'm fine Kaldur. Honest. I just didn't look where I was going" she huffed puffing a stray lock of hair away from her eyes.

"You came to see Superboy and M'gann off?" Kaldur smiled relieved as they began walking down the corridor.

"Yeah, I mean first day of school for the both of them ever. It's kinda a big deal. I mean my first day I felt so scared I barely spoke to anyone." Christine grimaced at the memory.

"Yes I can remember my first days as a student at the Atlantian Sorcerers Academy." Kaldur nodded as they rounded another corner.

"Was it fun?" Christine asked. She'd never heard much about Atlantis but whatever Kaldur spoke about it, it sure sounded fantastic.

"Yes it was…though there were a few…mishaps along the way" he trailed off as if recalling something that wasn't too pleasant. "I was a bit of a trouble maker back then"

"You?! Trouble maker…No way".

"Yes it's true. Not a day went by in my first year where I didn't play a prank" Kaldur blushed slightly embarrassed.

Christine gawked at him. Kaldur, their Kaldur, their goodie two shoes, polite soft spoken team leader…a kid prankster?

"Ah, Swift, Aqualad you're both here." The two teens both looked down the hallway where Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter and M'gann, who was still in her hero outfit, were all walking towards them.

M'gann grinned excitedly and waved at them both as they ran over.

"You ready?" Christine smiled.

"Um hmm. Just got to get to Superboy and we'll be on our way"

"Where is he?" Christine looked around their group for the clone boy.

"In the grotto" Red Tornado said. "He was repairing his motorbike."

They nodded walking down a flight of stairs down into the grotto's entrance. Superboy was further inside patting Sphere. The strange alien ball had grown quite attached to him like a dog to its master, always following him around.

Christine smiled as M'gann floated down the stairs towards him.

"Ready for school, I made our lunches" she held up two paper bags. Superboy looked up at them and stood up.

"The first day of the scholastic season carries great cultural resonance, we wanted to wish you both well" Martian Manhunter smiled down at his niece's happy go lucky attitude

"Guess it's not a Kryptonian thing huh?" Superboy looked around their group slightly worried.

Swift gave him a soft smile and ran up to hug him. "Maybe not, but it is a team thing".

Superboy managed a small smile of his own and squeezed her by his side.

"You may wish to…change before you depart." Aqualad pointed to M'gann and Superboy's clothes.

"Ah I spent hours choosing this outfit" M'gann squealed as her organic clothes transformed into a pink camisole with matching skirt and red headband., white shirt and socks with black flats.

"What do you think? Can M'gann M'orrz pass for an Earth girl now?"

Christine quirked an eyebrow at the Martian girl, she was still green skinned.

"uh…M'gann you might want to check in the mirror before…"

"Just kidding." M'gann giggled twirling as her skin turned Caucasian. "Meet Megan Morris" she curtsied.

"What's your new name Superboy?" Christine asked curiously.

"My what?" Superboy looked very confused.

"You're name. You can't go by Superboy when you're out in public."

Martian Manhunter transformed into a tall African American man with a dark blue suit, red tie and high cheekbones. "I chose the name John Jones for myself and suggested John Smith for Red Tornado. You can be a John too-"

"Pass" Superboy frowned shoving a free hand in his pocket.

"Well…Connor's always been my favourite name" M'gann smiled shyly at Superboy who shrugged.

"Conner…hmm…not bad…it fits but it's also common enough to fly under the radar" Christine bit her lip thinking.

"A last name will also be required" Kaldur nodded giving a pointed look at Martian Manhunter.

"Perhaps Kent?" Manhunter suggested calmly.

"Oh in memory of Doctor Fate!" M'gann's eyes widened in realisation "The late Kent Nelson"

"Of course" Manhunter carefully exchanged a glance with Christine who nodded quietly as Superboy, or rather now Conner Kent, gruffly accepted his name.

"Well Conner Kent I suggest you change your shirt" M'gann light-heartedly giggled.

Conner looked at her surprised.

Christine detached herself from Conner and poked his chest playfully "M'gann's right, you don't wanna reveal your identity"

Conner huffed and stripped off his shirt revealing a fantastic rock hard torso.

"Will this work?" he showed them the inside out T-shirt, which was just plain black.

"Works for me" the Martian girl mumbled dreamily and Christine giggled behind her hand. Oh these two were so cute.

"Wait shouldn't I be Conner Nelson?" Conner pulled the shirt on frowning slightly

"Nah, Kent sounds better." Christine smiled warmly before hugging M'gann goodbye

"Have fun and good luck".

"You too. We'll watch the conference when we get back." the Martian girl smiled warmly down at her surrogate little sister.

"Please don't remind me about it"

Conner ruffled her hair "You're Batman's partner. What could possibly go wrong?"

"You'd be surprised at how many things actually do go wrong when you work with the Bat. Now off with you two, you don't wanna be late. You've got to register first before you go for your classes."

"They grow up so fast" Manhunter sighed as they watched the pair leave through the secret entrance.

Christine's holo computer beeped.

"Damn" Christine went pale. "Sorry Kaldur… gotta fly"

"I'm sure you'll do fine" Kaldur put a strong hand on her shoulder "Good luck!"

"Thanks" Christine mumbled but she couldn't help but smile slightly.

* * *

**Washington D.C., September 7 2010, 18:32 EDT**

Swift was in a small room off the main hall of the Hall of Justice alone. She'd rehearsed her speech and practiced the public speaking tips and techniques with Superman till she was blue in the face but she still felt really nervous. Just the thought of speaking not just to the reporters outside, but of addressing the entire world was making her stomach do back flips.

There was a tap on the door.

"Come in"

"Swift, it's time" she turned to see a raven haired beauty with a golden diadem poke her head through the door. Wonder Woman smiled kindly down at the young girl as she escorted her down the main hall.

"Bruce, Clark and I will be out there with you. Don't worry you'll be fine."

Swift just nodded, feeling if she opened her mouth now she'd throw up.

The front doors opened and they stepped down the front steps onto a red carpet. Clark, in his Superman suit, was waiting at the end in front of a podium which was set up with a small stool.

Swift scowled slightly. God, why did she have to be so short?

Wonder Woman stepped to join the original seven, who were standing along the side facing the public. She stepped up onto the stool and looked over the crowd for the first time.

Immediately her eyes were assaulted by large flashes and loud calls as reporters pushed and shoved leaning over the velvet rope that separated them from her spot behind large podium. She gulped trying to remember what Clark had told her but her mind had gone blank.

Just to save herself and give herself something to do she decided to pull down her mouth mask, using it as a cover to glance at her script. The transcript in front of her was blurry. Crap! She forgot that she was wearing an old mask. The lenses in this one were non multifocal!

She took another deep breath. Everyone around her stopped short to listen intently.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Swift, Batman's partner…but you probably already knew that."

Ok maybe half of the first line. A lot of people tittered in amusement.

_Shit, now they're laughing at me._

She could see Batman standing off to the side in the corner of her eye. He gave a miniscule nod. She looked back at the crowd; the adults were looking at her, some people scribbling notes. The sound was very irritating.

_Ah screw it! This is me and if they don't like it they can f- it!_

"So, you've probably heard a lot of things about me, some nice but also a lot not so nice." She leaned on the podium and looked around. She had everyone's attention now.

"Now, I can go on and on about how I can enslave this goddamn planet, but I'm not here to do that. I'm also  **not**  here to preach to you about what a stupid obsession the press obviously has with negative sensationalism. After all this is a country of free speech." The reporters all shifted very nervously in their spots.

"What I am here to do is to tell the truth. Yes I have superpowers. Yes I use them to help this country and this planet. Well newsflash people! So do these guys!" she gesticulated towards the original seven. "And they do a damn good job of it too"

Superman was smiling but she could see his eyes dart nervously. Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter weren't even hiding their shock. Wonder Woman retained her poise but her fingers were twitching nervously. Batman looked positively relaxed, even to some degree amused.

There was a smattering of cheers from some random spectators. Swift turned back to the crowd and they became silent again.

"I know I'm not as bold, wise or even as strong as they are. But I hope to be… one day. As an old friend once told me, I'm still at the beginning of my own story. I still have many chapters ahead to fill. If this week has been any indication, the road will be tough but believe me when I tell you this. One day I will be the hero this world deserves. The only thing I ask of you now is for your patience until that day comes. But for now…this is me…"

There was very heavy silence as she looked around at the large crowd.

"This is Swift"

….

….

BAM! There was a huge explosion of noise.

The public was cheering behind the loud clicks and whirs of cameras. Reporters were clambering over each other to ask questions. Finally one of them caught her eye, an attractive black haired blue eyed woman with a pant suit who had a ginger haired photographer trying to shove his way in behind her to get a photo. She recognised them at once as Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen from the daily planet. Lois was looking desperately at Swift a terrified look in her eyes.

Swift didn't hear her words but read her lips.

"On the roof! Look out! Duck Now!"

Swift wheeled around and saw for a split second something small and dark on the roof.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

There were loud screams; people began shouting and running away from the podium. Swift was gasping for breath as she hunched beneath a large black cloaked figure.

Swift looked up panicky as the dark figure reeled back from the edge. Soon she saw Wonder Woman fly up to the roof as the other justice leaguers tried to maintain calm over the terrified crowd. She felt a weight slump into her and her dark protector almost fell on top of her.

"Dad!"

"Are you alright?" He grunted softly as his shoulder and both his legs began to sting as each one of the bullets dug deep into his flesh.

"Yes, I'm fine" Swift whispered, trying to keep herself together as she pried Batman off from on top of her. She pulled on him with all her might and got him to stand.

"The gunman…" he leaned on her heavily.

"Diana's got him."

There was a swoosh as Flash zipped over to them.

"Don't worry Bats I gotcha, ah man you're heavy. You need to keep off the food."

Batman and Swift both glared at him and he cringed.

"Ok ok! Just kidding! But seriously kid, go back inside and catch a zeta tube out of here. Go to the mountain with the others"

"And leave him like this? No way! Forget the gunman, Alfred will kill me!" she hissed but Batman narrowed his eyes at her.

"Flash is right. It's too dangerous for you here. Go to the mountain, you'll be safest there with the team. Argh!" he winced as his the places where he was shot twinged.

"But dad-"

"No buts! Swift go back to Mount Justice now! That's an order" Batman growled. Swift flushed scarlet and huffed angrily.

"hmph! Fine on your own head be it! Don't come complaining to me when Agent A chews your ear off!" she ducked behind the podium and turned invisible.

Soon later the crowd began to calm down again though the paparazzi were in even more of a frenzy than before. Superman came towards them. He lifted Batman's other side and they began to heave the Bat away inside the Hall. As they reached the library door they heard the sound of Swift's very irate voice.

"Swift B02, override S-R3"

**_Insert Location_ **

The computerised voice said in monotone.

With one hand Superman easily opened the door revealing a girl in a purple leotard. As they stepped into the room she glanced back narrowing her eyes before pulling up her mask and turning back to the Zeta Tube.

"Mount Justice"

**_Access granted._ **

Briskly she walked into the tube, which glowed bright yellow as she vanished.

Flash gave a low whistle under his breath. "She's your daughter alright" he muttered.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Batman growled as they helped him into a chair.

"It means that she takes after you" Superman said as he gingerly lifted up his friends legs to elevate them on another chair.

"I know what the expression means!" Batman snapped through gritted teeth. "I just want to know what Flash means by saying that now" The bullets in his legs were hurting really badly but he put up with it. He was the Batman, he couldn't show weakness.

The speedster rolled his eyes. "I mean that your daughter is kinda turning into a mini you. Worrying about everyone else more than herself and getting pissed off when she's told she can't worry. I mean come on Bats, I know she's your sidekick but are you planning on turning her into another Batman, or actually wait- no she's a girl so whatever, a Batwoman?"

Batman paused. The speedster had made a good point.

Swift was the older of his two partners. He'd already had trained her for years before she donned the mask and leotard. He'd also half raised her for most of her childhood and thought of her like his own daughter. Had he, behind the screen of parental love and care, been trying to mould her into his successor?

The thought horrified him. By god he was raising her to become dark and alone like him, a fate he swore he would never allow either of his partners to succumb to. No wonder she was rebelling more and more against him recently.

Unbeknownst to him Superman was glaring at Flash with a 'did you really have to say that now' kind of look. The speedster shrugged.

* * *

**Mount Justice, September 7 2010, 19:12 EDT**

Christine stepped out of the Zeta tube seething. Her eyes pricked at the corners and she peeled her mask off, stuffing it into a pocket of her belt.

"Why?" she muttered through clenched teeth. "Stupid Dad. Gets himself hurt but hates anyone worrying about him when he needs the help. Why does he always have to-Argh!"

She growled in frustration aimed a slice at the wall. She heard a whoosh and the ripping sound of something sharp cutting rock. She stared in horror at the mountain wall where five slices were carved into it like an animal had scratched at it.

"What?"

She looked down at her own hands. There were no monstrous claws, but she felt the air unravel around each finger and the familiar hot tingle of energy slowly fade.

Her eyes streamed over as she fell onto her knees.

"What's happening to me?" she wailed clutching at the brown locks of hair.

For the first time in her life Christine didn't care that she was crying. She didn't care that her friends might see her like this. She didn't care that she was the partner of the Dark Knight, that she had a reputation to uphold.

No all she wanted was to cry. Cry and be a kid for once. She wanted Bruce, she wanted Dick, and she wanted...her father. More than ever she just wanted to have someone else look after her because by hell, more than anyone else, she was scared. Scared of herself and what she might become, what she was already, what would happen to everyone around her.

She ignored the sound of footsteps as Kaldur, Artemis, Wally, Conner and M'gann ran into the main hall all in their civilian clothes. They all stared shocked, at the little form kneeling on the ground sobbing her heart out.

Swift had always seemed so much more mature. She always knew how to look after everyone else, no matter how small she was or how desperate the situation. But now she needed them and they had no clue of what to do. Even Wally was stunned, and he'd known Swift longer than the others.

**_Recognised Robin B01_ **

A zeta tube opened and the short black caped figure of Robin stepped through. He took one look at Christine and immediately rushed to her side, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I saw the news." He muttered quietly "Batman called me and said you'd be here. Are you hurt?" he held her at arm's length inspected her thoroughly.

Christine choked down a sob and shook her head before burying her face into her partner's tunic.

The others all began to walk towards the pair, feeling slightly relieved. M'gann was the first to reach.

Robin pulled away and allowed the Martian girl to look at Swift.

"Swift" she smiled kindly. "Artemis and I haven't had showers yet. Would you like to join us? And afterwards why don't you come to the kitchen. You can help me make dinner I'm going to be trying out lasagne"

"Yes" Kaldur agreed, but his voice sounded slightly strained. "A bath and some food will do you good. And you can stay the night too. I'm sure Batman wouldn't mind; besides we were all planning on staying here tonight. So if you need anything, we're here"

"Thanks" Christine sniffed nodding as Robin helped her up to her feet. Artemis stepped forwards and she and M'gann began ushering the younger girl down the corridor, leaving the boys alone in the main hall.

_Beep! Beep!_

They turned as a large holographic screen popped up behind them and Batman's face appeared enlarged. He looked grim.

" _Batman to the Team, I take it that you all saw the news_ "

"Yes we have" Kaldur nodded. Robin, Wally and Conner remained silent

" _Then I don't have to explain much to you. Argh! Agent A_!?" he winced slightly as they heard a stern British voice say

" _My sincerest apologies sir but I warned you this would hurt_ "

Batman glared at somebody off screen and they heard the British voice heave a sigh. The Bat turned back to them, looking at Robin.

_"Where is Swift?"_

"M'gann and Artemis took her to have a shower" Robin glanced at the corridor which the girls had gone down.

"We were wondering if she could stay here for tonight." Conner looked up hopefully and Wally nodded.

"Yeah! Y'know till the league figures out what happened. I mean it's safer for her to be here than at a known Leaguers base right?"

To say the Batman was glad was a definite understatement. The fact that they the team had suggested the idea before he did, proved to him that he had made the right choice in letting his partners trust them.

The corners of Batman's mouth twitched as he held back a relieved smile. Instead he opted for a curt nod.

" _That would be the most logical choice. Very well then she may stay. But if you're going outside the cave, make sure that at least one of you is with her and that you have your coms on at all times. I or someone from the league will contact you if the situation changes. Batman out._ "

* * *

**Mount Justice, September 8 2010, 03:24 EDT**

A red haired archer crept through the hallway, stealthily like a ghost. He could see the common room up ahead. He looked down at the purple bat plushie in his hands.

Roy felt like a fool carrying it around, but he thought of who he was giving it too and the embarrassment melted away. As strange as it sounded Christine needed this thing. He never knew why but it always looked like it made her more at ease.

He crept into the lounge and saw his target. She was sleeping on the couch, dressed in a plain white cotton night dress with a silk purple bathrobe wrapped tightly around her like a blanket. He could only tell it was purple as her form was illuminated by the light of the television.

He looked up.

The camera had been focused on the roof of the hall of justice from which a dark figure fired three shots. The sound was off but Roy could see the flashes as the gun went off. Soon after Wonder Woman flew up but didn't catch anything.

The video looped back to the dark figure on the rooftop and Roy looked around the room again.

No one else was there. He heard a soft sound and looked back to the couch.

Christine turned over in her sleep frowning softly.

He approached her quietly. Gently as he could he tucked the bat doll into her arms. Immediately she stilled.

_Such a kid_

Roy felt himself smirk softly as he gently ruffled his "little sister's" hair.

He watched her for a moment, listening to her deep breaths, watching as the flickering light from the TV created strange shadows across her face.

"What do you think you're doing?"

A deep voice growled in the dark. Roy felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he saw the dark figure of the Batman step out of the shadowy corridor behind him.

"You're one to talk. Weren't you shot three times?" Roy hissed.

"I'll manage" Batman narrowed his eyes dangerously.

Roy sighed and pointed to the bat toy in Christine's arms.

"Thought she might want it after what happened"

"I see" Batman glanced at the girl and back at Roy who nodded once in understanding.

"I'll leave now" Roy began to creep away. As he passed Batman he felt a hand on his shoulder

"Thank you" the Dark Knight muttered.

"No problem" Roy nodded as he stepped into the darkness.

Batman watched him silently, before going to sit next to Christine. In the half light of the TV he could see dark circles under her eyes and the tear tracks on her cheeks.

He turned the screen off plunging the room into darkness.

"Sleeping with a light on is bad for you, you know that" He muttered to the dark. He pressed a button on his cowl and it switched to night vision. Quietly he picked her up and carried her back down the hall. He opened the door to her room and laid her on the bed. He tucked in the corners of her blankets, making sure her feet were covered. He knew how much Christine hated to have cold feet in the morning and smirked remembering how she got so cranky every time she woke up with grey toes.

Once he was finished he played with her chocolaty locks. Like this she looked so much like…like…

Batman sat there on the side of her bed, remembering vaguely his own parents. He wondered what they would say now, seeing him like this all defences down. True the darkness was still his cloak but it wasn't like it was hiding him. Rather it felt like it was revealing him. In the blackness he could just sit and be.

He sighed.

"I know I haven't been that understanding over the past few weeks." He murmured softly. "I know you find me to be overprotective, you think that I think you're a just a weak child. But please believe me when I say that when I look at you I see so much more than that. I see a young woman who is strong, kind, true, with a good heart and an intelligent wit. I see someone who will stand up when she falls, no matter what force moves against her. Someone, who genuinely cares for those who are close to her, someone who speaks her mind and is not afraid. You are one of the most precious things I have. I'm probably biased when I say this but you don't have to prove yourself to anyone; you are already the hero this world deserves and so much more."

He remembered the scratch marks on the wall he'd seen her make on the security footage, how she'd cried and his stomach churned. "I know you're terrified about what's happening to you. But I know one day, probably soon, you'll overcome all your fears and step out into the world. So until you do please let me do my bit as your father and protect you as much as I can."

Without another noise he leaned down, ignoring his aching limbs and gently kissed her forehead before standing up and going to the door.

" _Ah hem!_ " an elderly female voice suddenly coughed his ear. Batman jumped and scowled. Crap he'd forgotten about Leslie.

As soon as Christine had left the Hall of Justice, Superman had called the old doctor immediately, seeing as there was no other person the Batman trusted more with his life medically. She'd arrived escorted by a very worried Alfred and Robin and after a few hours had extracted the bullets from him. Now she sounded quite irritated.

" _As touching as that was to hear Bruce, you are supposed to be resting!_ "

"I'll be right back Leslie" he gulped.

" _You better be. Those wounds won't heal without proper care. You're already very lucky that they haven't done such bad damage at all_ "

"Ok! Ok! You can lecture me as much as you want when I get back" he hissed softly as he crept to the door.

He looked back to Christine's bed. She was still asleep but smiling softly. The old doctor was probably going to kill him, but it was well worth it.


	13. Episode 11: Terrors

**Mount Justice, September 14 2010, 06:37 EDT**

Christine sat in her room in the mountain. It was so different from her room back home. For one thing it was more of a modern design with darker walls and metal furniture.

Purple eyes, looking through rectangular glasses, wandered over the pages of a humungous, very old, leather bound book in her hands.

It was the full compilation of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series. It had belonged to her father, her real one, and it had been one of his favourite books.

"Papa" Christine murmured.

She traced her cold fingers over the wonderful black Baskerville Old Face font, remembering how a pair of much larger and warmer hands had held this book…a long time ago.

* * *

_"Are you enjoying it?"_

_"Ah huh! Can we read the next chapter?"_

_"Hmm…I'm sorry little missy but no besides its way past your bedtime"_

_"Awww but-"_

_"Come on under the covers now. No don't give me that look. *sigh* Fine we can read another chapter tomorrow night. How does that sound?"_

_"Okay"_

_"That's a good girl. Now sleep tight."_

_"Wait! Where's Batty?"_

_"He's right here. There you go, snug as a bug in a rug now."_

_"…Papa"_

_"Yes baby girl?"_

_"Do you think I could be a detective when I'm bigger?"_

_"You can be anything you want to be sweetheart now how about a hug for your old man. Argh! Goodness you're getting strong."_

_"*giggles* Sorry Papa"_

_"It's alright. Good night baby girl"_

* * *

She set down the book next to the plush toy Batty that lay on a pillow beside her, before falling back onto the sheets.

She shut her eyes as flashes of dark shapes crossed her mind.

She didn't hear the door handle turn.

She walked up a polished grand staircase.

She didn't feel the person's presence as they crept into the room.

There was a door at the top.

She didn't even know she wasn't alone anymore until it poked her

Christine shrieked in terror, eyes flying open as a hand tried pressing itself over her mouth. She grabbed whoever it was by the scruff of their necks and flung them down into the mattress. She rolled on top of them holding them by the throat.

"Chrissy! Chrissy it's me!" they choked. Christine gasped, her eyes regaining their focus.

"Dick?" Her hands loosened and Dick coughed roughly.

"Damn, I was just checking in on you" Dick spluttered sitting up trying to flatten is even messier mop.

Christine pulled him close at once, holding him so that his face was nestled near the base of her neck.

"Whoa there!"

He felt her shake and heard a small sniffle close to his ear. He held her close rocking her backwards and forwards slowly.

"What happened?" he murmured low. Christine shook her head.

"Ok, you can tell me later. By the way is that Conner's shirt?" he pulled away to look at his partner.

Christine looked down. Indeed she was wearing the clone's black shirt. He'd given it to her to wear last night as her other night shirts were all in the wash. She still wore a pair of shorts underneath though...just in case.

"yeah" she pulled up the sleeve to cover her shoulder. It was so large for her that the bottom reached mid thigh and one sleeve always slipped revealing her bare shoulder.

"So adorkable" he smirked.

Dick  
reached out and tucked a lock of brown hair behind her ear.

She shrugged as she turned her head away biting her bottom lip shyly. Both sleeves fell softly.

Then before Christine could even think about blushing she was suddenly on her back her head close to the foot of her bed.

"Di-Robin! Wha-hahahahahahahahhaahaha!" she laughed out loud as his fingers danced under her top around her stomach. She grabbed his shoulders trying to push him off, but Dick was a man on a mission, one to make her laugh.

Someone coughed loudly.

They stopped abruptly; head's turning slowly towards the door. M'gann and Artemis were both was giggling at the back, Conner was frowning sleepily, and Kaldur and Wally were smiling knowingly. All of them were in their pyjamas.

"We are glad to see you two are enjoying you're morning" Kaldur's smile widened.

"Kaldur…it's…It's not what it looks like" Dick gulped.

"So I'm not seeing that you got up early to tickle your sister"

"Oh…no you are it's just…we thought you thought…" The pink flush on both the birds faces turned fire hydrant red.

Wally burst into laughter.

There Dick was pinning Christine to the bed beneath, with his hands under her shirt. Her cleavage was spilling out slightly and she was smiling. Had they not known the pair were already close…well it seemed only logical that they would assume…

"What is tickling?" Conner cocked his head to the side. Dick sighed in relief. Talk about Super-clone to the rescue!

"It's something you do to other people" Artemis snorted.

"Anyone can be ticklish" M'gann nodded "and in different areas too. Some people, like Swift are ticklish on the stomach and others are ticklish on the feet, around their ears-"

"Basically it's stimulating very sensitive areas of the body to produce a positive result like laughter…though use it too much in excess and it can be very irritating" Wally grimaced. "Boy Wonder loves ambushing people with it"

Christine and Dick were both on their feet now both brushing themselves down.

"Best technique for torturing friends" Dick smirked sneakily reaching out with his fingers.

"And siblings" Christine raised her eyebrows. The hand retreated back into the pockets of his jeans.

"Let's go eat breakfast" they both rushed past quickly.

Ever since the shooting at the Hall of Justice Christine had been staying at Mount Justice for her own "protection".

She put inverted commas around the word because it was not so much protecting as it was babysitting. Batman knew that if left idle and alone to brood on her thoughts for too long she'd get antsy to catch the criminal. Very few of the Justice League members actually knew Batman's secret ID and at this point in time only Alfred was there to keep an eye on her. However even then he couldn't do it twenty four seven as he had his own duties to the house and to the Dark knight's crusade. So she and Dick had packed up their suitcases and started their stay at Mount Justice.

The team, probably on Batman's instructions, were each spending as much time as possible with her trying to keep her as busy as a bee. Dick was there every minute of the day, always next to her like an extremely proud guard dog. He'd also arranged things so that she'd have her room in-between his and Conner's. The super-boy had super-hearing and was a very light sleeper. So if anything were to happen, he'd hear it first.

Each day members of the league popped in at around midday to give very short, very uninformative and very irritating updates. Usually it was one of the mentors or Black Canary who would then take them for training afterwards.

Today however was special. M'gann and Conner would be going for their very first undercover mission. They were going to Belle Reve penitentiary disguised as the Terror Twins, Tommy and Tuppence. Christine had spent the last few days after each one had come back from school to help them practice the thick southern accents and brusque mannerisms of the super powered twins.

It had been fun, but today was the day that the pair would finally go undercover. Kaldur and Red Tornado were their handlers.

Christine looked up from her crossword, watching amusedly as Conner sniffed at his plate of scrambled egg. He'd never had egg like this before and he kept poking at it with his fork watching it suspiciously as if it would suddenly rise up and attack him like a sleeping dragon.

"You can eat it you know?" Wally said through a mouthful of his own pile of egg some of which flew out of his mouth.

"Hey! Hey! Watch it Baywatch!" Artemis scowled and dragged her chair as far as possible from the speedster to avoid the projectiles of half chewed egg.

"Hey I'm just saying. Prison food ain't that crash hot. So get what you can, when you can"

"Of course  **you'd**  say that" the blonde archer rolled her eyes.

Wally was about to retort when Kaldur cleared his throat loudly from behind an open newspaper. They both went back to their food in silence.

Dick snickered softly over his bowl of cereal.

"That goes for you too Robin" M'gann playfully waggled the wooden spoon she was using to mix more scrambled egg for Christine's and Kaldur's portions.

"Yes mam!" He smiled cheekily before turning back to demolish the contents of his bowl.

"So how is it Conner?" Christine asked as the clone chewed his first bite.

"It's…" the blue eyes suddenly glazed over in wonder. "Really…good

"Really"

"Yeah, you know…for the embryo of a dead baby bird" he shrugged in an attempt to be nonchalant.

Wally choked so hard that the contents of his mouth flew everywhere at top speed over the table. Conner and M'gann both ducked, Kaldur and Christine both had used their portions of the newspapers to hide themselves, Dick joining Christine at the last minute. Poor Artemis however received a whole face full.

She wiped the yellow mix of egg and spit slowly off her face, her blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"Run for it dude" Dick hissed kicking his best friend's shin under the table. The yellow haired archer's cheeks were almost the colour of an aubergine.

"WALLY!"

"He's  _so_  dead" Christine smirked as the speedster dashed out of the room without a backwards glance at the table.

?, September 14 2010, 11:05 EDT

A man in a black suit stepped forwards towards the half lit ornate oak desk. A woman sat in the black leather chair behind. Her head was concealed shadow but he could make out her dress, a rich satin wine red with a plunging neckline.

"Mam, we apologise for the late inconvenience" he bowed respectfully

"And yet you still insist on inconveniencing me" She drawled tapping a cigarette on an ash tray.

"Mam it's about the girl. She hasn't been seen with her mentor at all. She's not at the manor she hasn't even gone on patrol"

"It figures you twit!" The woman snapped squashing the dog end down. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has the girl under lock and key by now. But no matter. She will come to me soon enough."

"And then shall we kill-"

"No!" the woman slammed a long nailed hand down hard "You don't pick a fruit off the tree when it's only just begun to ripen. You take it when it's completely at its sweetest before squashing it. No my dear fellow, this is just a little taster. A trial run if you will, it will be a long time till we have to actually kill her. Now leave, me I have an important meeting to attend"

The man bowed and exited the room quietly. The lady sighed and clicked a button hidden under the table top. Many holographic screens appeared in front of her. All had images of bright lights shaped like people.

" _Welcome back Red Queen_ " the screen with the label L-1 addressed her.

"Thank you" the woman, Red Queen drummed her fingers on the desk impatiently.

" _I take it you're operation succeeded?_ " L-2 asked sounding intrigued.

"It has for the most part" she gritted her teeth in aggravation. "However you are right L-2. The Bat is indeed very paranoid."

" _If there is one thing he treasures more than Gotham City it is his little birds, especially that child_." L-2 snorted knowingly.

" _And yet, for a child she is certainly causing more trouble than we can afford_ " a female voice spoke from the screen saying L-4.

" _Indeed_ " L-3 murmured in agreement " _But she has not yet reached her peak just yet. Give or take a few years and she will be a greater threat than her mentor_ "

" _Zen why don't we eliminate zat brat as soon as possible?"_  A metallic French voice spoke from L-6's screen.

" _Because we need her_ " L-1 sighed " _She is the only one who we can use to find… the others_ "

"Her powers are only just starting to develop" Red Queen glared hard at the screen as she lit another cigarette. "It may still be months, even years before she realises what she is or what her destiny is. Until then we have time"

She looked at the ornate clock on her desk. "Forgive me, I must retire. My schedule is packed for tomorrow"

" _We understand. Keep us informed if any news should reach you about your target_ "

The screens all shut off at once plunging the room into total darkness.


	14. Episode 12: Homefront

**Gotham City, September 22 2010, 07:28 EDT**

Christine was sitting in the back of the black Porsche car. Alfred was at the wheel reading a newspaper as they waited. They heard the large front doors of the manor banged open and they turned to see Dick and Bruce both tumbling down the stairs, fully dressed but still slightly dishevelled. Bruce was still combing his hair back neatly the comb in one hand and his suitcase in another, and Dick's tie was askew.

She took one look at them and burst into laughter. It wasn't like neither of them could get up early enough; they both just spent too much time preening themselves like peacocks. Christine was already fully prepared in five minutes; her shirt was tucked into her skirt neatly, her black lace up shoes brightly polished. She'd pulled her hair back into a neat high ponytail and she was wearing her brown contacts beneath her glasses again.

No one would ever guess that she, this young slightly dorky fourteen year old girl, was one of the two formidable sidekicks of one of the deadliest Justice League members.

They sat on either side of her quickly panting for breath. For people who spent their nights punctually protecting the city they sure found it difficult to get to the car on time for school or work.

"Come here you" she pulled Dick close and began settling his tie.

"Dad your fly's still down" She said as she focused on tightening the knot.

Alfred smirked smugly at his charge who flushed with embarrassment. He quickly pulled up the zipper. Oh well at least it had been Christine who had spotted it before he went out in public.

"Your skirt's looking shorter" Dick smirked.

Bruce and Alfred caught each other's eye in the mirror and rolled them together thinking the same exasperated thought.

_Teenage boys!_

"Yeah I think I might've had another growth spurt over the summer" Christine blushed slightly. completely unaware of the older men's silent exchange. "What? Does it look slutty or something?"

Dick quickly glanced down at her legs. His eyes swept over them. When standing, her skirt was just above the knees but when sitting down like this, it only reached her mid thigh… He bit his lip.

"No! No! It doesn't. Definitely A-ok. I mean it can't be any shorter than Candice's right?"

"I wonder what her plan of action for snagging you this year will be?" Christine broke away to let Dick put his seatbelt on before turning back to start again on his tie.

Candice Delany was the bitch of their year. She was always trying to get Dick's attention ever since he'd been officially adopted by Bruce. Like Christine she'd also came from an old prestigious family in Gotham, but he'd still never gave her the time of day, not even if she'd offer to pay him, which she had tried to do once before.

Dick rolled his eyes as Alfred hit the ignition. "Whatever it is it won't work."

"Why? Is there  **someone**   **else**  you fancy?" Bruce asked softly from Behind Christine.

Dick caught his mentor's eye and gulped. Bruce was looking at him very, very directly, a sharp gleam in his dark blue eyes, eyebrows raised. It was the kind of look the Boy Wonder had seen many times before. It had always been spared for Roy, Wally and many other boys and men who even so much as talked or looked at Christine in a non platonic way. Dick never would've dreamed that Bruce would use it on him one day, but he was now.

Dick took a deep breath, looked him in the eye directly and gave him a solid nod. Bruce's eyes widened in surprise slightly, but he recovered almost at once. He smirked and turned back to the window as Christine finished her work on Dick's tie with a triumphant laugh.

Dick turned his attention back to her, mumbling a small thanks as Alfred pulled over in front of the open school gates.

"Master Dick, Miss Christine we have arrived"

Bruce smiled reaching across with a long arm to ruffle Dick's hair. "And now the two of you, please try to make it through to lunch without too much trouble?"

"Can't make any promises Bruce. Come on Chrissy" Dick grabbed Christine's hand.

"Have a nice day at work Papa" Christine kissed Bruce on the cheek as he handed her schoolbag to her.

She was too focused on trying to move quickly as Dick dragged her out the car doors that she completely missed the look of pain that flashed across her adoptive father's face.

"I will"

Bruce murmured as he shut the door and settled back in his seat. He wondered if she'd even noticed what she'd just said. Probably not…

"Master Bruce?"

Bruce didn't answer immediately, but watched Christine's brown ponytail until a mass of honey blond curls crashed right into her. Christine smiled fondly at her friend and quickly waved back at their car, positively glowing. Alfred revved up the engine once more.

Bruce sighed waving back as she disappeared into the crowd "Mother would've loved her" Bruce watched the school get smaller and smaller.

"Indeed she would've, especially since Mrs Wayne, was fond of the Ballet" He paused as he turned a corner "And so would've your father. I'm sure he would be proud of how well you've helped raise this young lady… as are we all"

Bruce quickly turned round to face the front quirking his eyebrow.

"We?"

"Leslie and I…the league" The old Butler eye's softened his charge's eyebrows rose really high.

"They weren't so happy when I told them I would be taking her as my sidekick, especially since I'd already taken Dick into the field"

"Neither was I in the beginning." Alfred nodded stopping at a red light "but then I recall how desperate the situation was, and how quickly she came to both your sides"

"Yes…I remember that …Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn both had Robin and I at their mercy with those blasted spores. They were just about to get me to submit to their will and reveal my identity and then…Kathwak!" Bruce he pretended to swing something at arm's length. "In swings Christine on a grapple gun, wearing just her ballet gear, no protective padding, and in she comes"

"In she comes, smashing the dirty janitor's mop right into both Miss Isley's and Miss Quinzel's faces" Alfred's chuckles now joined Bruce's. "A cracking shot if ever I saw one"

"Stuart would've busted his gut if he could've… seen it…" Bruce's chuckles vanished as the pained expression returned.

"Sir?"

"What if he knew…?" Bruce gripped his hand tighter in a fist and his eyes widened. "What if he knew that Christine had these superpowers? If so is that why he was…"

Alfred's eyes widened with dawning comprehension. "Shall I send you  _those_  files sir?"

"No" Bruce said quickly "If they are sent to my work computer Christine will figure it out. But please can you locate them, copy them to a file and quadruple encrypt them on the Bat-computer so I can read them when I get back"

"Very well sir"

"Thank you Alfred"

* * *

Christine had barely walked with Dick past the wrought iron school gates when a mass of honey gold ringlets crashed into her.

"CHRISSS! OMG! I missed youuu!"

Freddy, Fredericka Olivia Lantern, was a fourteen year old, rather average in height and weight girl. She had light brown eyes and (as you've already read twice now) a mass of honey gold ringlets, tied in two high pigtails at the side of her head which when coupled with her sweet, cheerful and eccentric personality, gave the impression of a very excitable long haired labradoodle.

"Hey Freddy girl" Christine grinned as she was kissed her on both cheeks. She'd known Freddy since she was four and was used to her open displays of affection for they were like sisters to each other. Christine even called Freddy's parents Aunty Jacqueline and Uncle Lui (short for Ludwig) and Bruce had even been allowed her to tell Freddy about the 'family secret'. They did everything together; they even had almost the exact same subjects every year at school with the exception of ballet and photography.

"Hey? That's all you can say? Babe we've spent a whole summer apart and you can only say hey?" Freddy pouted but still linked arms with her besty.

"Well we've been pretty busy" Dick grinned as Freddy also linked arms with him so that she stood between the two of them.

"Busy eh? Pray tell" She waggled her eyebrows and laughed at the way the two birds blushed scarlet.

"Not  **that**  kind of busy!" Christine groaned "we mean family business busy"

"Oh! I see." Freddy nodded slowly before adding in an undertone. "More bonding time with daddy dearest then?"

"Sort of…" but Dick broke off as a red haired girl ran up towards them. She was Barbara Gordon daughter of the Gotham Police Commissioner Jim Gordon. A pretty girl with a stout heart Barbara was just about as loyal to her friends as Freddy. After Dick said hello he peered around her.

His face split into a wide grin.

"What?" Christine peered around and felt her eyebrows shoot right up. "Oh my god!" she grinned ecstatically.

There some distance away tugging at her skirt nervously, her long blond hair tied in a low ponytail was Artemis.

She looked especially nervous as Bette, a nice blonde girl from the year above Dick and Christine, came up to her to introduce herself.

"You know her?" Freddy whispered quietly.

"From the family business. I'll tell you more later" Christine hissed smirking as Dick quickly rushed over to take a quick snapshot of him with school newbie Artemis before ninja stepping away.

"Dick what was that about?" Barbara looked very confused.

"Nothing Babara, just being friendly with the new girl" Dick smiled as he archived the photo quickly into his Wayne Tech touch screen phone.

They met with their other friends Martin and George Hamish at the front desk as they got their timetables printed out by the office ladies. Martin and George were identical twin brothers, tall lean with mousy brown hair and bright green eyes. However over the summer it seemed, Martin had dyed the tips of his hair the same red as the school tie styled in a spiky do and George wore circular Harry Potter like glasses.

As they looked at their timetables Martin hi-fived Christine, they were in the same ballet class again this year. After exchanging glances at each other's timetables, comparing teachers and complaining about boring classes placed at the worst of times, they all made their way to the large school hall where they sat for an hour as listening to the start of term assembly, which was boring as usual.

At the end of Assembly they went to their respective home rooms and then off to class.

It was actually proving to be a rather fun day. So far Christine's first two periods had been devoted to Advanced English literature in which they were assigned to do an extensive comparative study between the film Blade Runner (Directors Cut) and the book Frankenstein for the entire semester. After recess was general mathematics where Christine was separated from Dick, who along with Barbara and George did advanced Maths. It bored the living hell out of her, Martin and Freddy as they sat gazing at a page of algebraic equations that they'd already covered last year, but were being bullied to revise again before continuing with the course.

Then they had Gym and the group of six were all back together again in an epic boy vs. girl dodge ball game. The girls won, for at the end Christine and Dick were the only two players left, and she'd sneakily used her wind powers to direct the ball along the right course. Dick knew this but was relieved the game was finally over, because they'd been tying for over fifteen minutes already and he was really starting to get bored.

Christine, Freddy and Barbara gloated and Dick, Martin and George dutifully put up with it as they made their way to the cafeteria. Dick and Christine didn't need to buy any food because Alfred, as per usual had packed two beautiful lunch boxes, filled with homemade sandwiches, cookies, a slice of cake and a small carton of juice.

A little way away from them Artemis was sitting at a table with Bette. She was watching the two of them closely as she ate. They both looked very… familiar somehow…

"Uh Bette?"

"Hmm" Bette grunted as she took a swig of water from her bottle.

"Who are they?" she pointed at Dick and Christine as the former stole a ring of tomato from the latter's sandwich sneakily.

Bette's eyes were wider than saucers. "Don't you know? They're Dick Grayson and Christine Hallows-Wayne"

"What..?" Artemis looked positively bewildered now.

"Y'know Wayne, As in  **the**  Bruce Wayne?" Bette swallowed her gulp whole, vaguely reminding Artemis of Wally back at the cave.

"Yeah who doesn't?" she shrugged. Of course everyone in Gotham had heard of him. With his heritage and money he could've been king of Gotham ten times over. "I never knew he was married"

"Of course he's not! you kidding me; he's the biggest playboy in all of Gotham, and the biggest hunk." Bette blushed and fanned herself a little "No those two are both adopted."

Artemis nodded in understanding as Dick held Christine still to carefully wipe a smidgeon of mayonnaise from her cheek.

"Well that makes a little more sense" Artemis smirked as the brunette flushed as he grinned cheekily at her.

A black haired girl strode past their table, flanked by three other prissy girls, towards the table where the Gotham Royals, which Artemis was now going to call the pair, were sitting at.

Dick looked up and saw the dark haired girl and her possie "Shit! Cover for me." he dashed off quickly. Everyone shook their heads in exasperation.

"Coward" Freddy muttered under her breath as the black haired girl strutted over.

She was pretty there was no doubt, what with her dark hair, pale skin and red lips, thin body and large boobs. However Christine knew that most of those features were made with more plastic than a Barbie doll, the boobs especially. No girl with natural big jugs looked like they had balloons sticking out of their skin; she knew that from personal experience.

"Hello Candice" Barbara smiled politely, but her eyes were cold.

Candice sneered down her plastic nose at the two of them.

"I thought I smelt a rat" she muttered before turning her back on the red head. Her cronies tittered behind her in admiration as if she'd just scored a spectacular goal.

"Oh this should be interesting" Bette, and the rest of the cafeteria turned from their friendly chats to watch with interest.

"Is there something you need?" Martin asked pleasantly.

"No and if I did need something I wouldn't ask a twinkle toed faggot like you"

"What a bitch" Artemis whispered disgusted under her breath as some of the really thick blockheads cheered from a table.

Poor Martin turned bright red and George stood up abruptly looking ready to punch Candice's lights out. Christine put a hand on his arm and tugged him back down quickly.

"She's not worth it" she muttered low. George and Martin both grimaced but neither made another move.

"Oh. You're still around are you?"

"Obviously. Man! And Christine and George are supposed to be the ones who need glasses" Freddy snorted before taking a swig of her drink.

Everyone in the room chuckled, even Christine and George who both smiled shyly.

"I don't need glasses to see you're all a bunch of nerds" Candice snapped. The idiots of the room all ooo-ed in unison.

It was like they were all watching a live action television show. Artemis gritted her teeth. How could anyone allow this kind of thing to happen at all…let alone in a school?

"Just wait for it" Bette smirked pointing back to Christine. Artemis watched the little brunette concernedly. She looked quite meek, not the strong type at all. In fact she half expected her to burst into tears.

So she was very surprised when the little girl started to chuckle in amusement.

Everyone held their breath.

"Seriously Candice, if that's all you have to say then piss off. Besides don't you have poor loser to go f-k?"

Artemis and everyone else around her burst into laughter at the sight of Candice's shocked face. Christine looking rather pleased with herself, stood up on her chair and gave a mock bow as the friends at her table clapped. She hopped off the table and grabbed her bag.

"Oh and by the way Candice, Dick is not into sluts"

Artemis's eyes were wide with astonishment as a positively wicked smirk flitted across the innocent face as she passed the affronted girl and patted her on the shoulder.

"You little bitch" Candice growled.

There were several titters and giggles as the bell for the end of lunch finally wrung. Candice skulked off, scowling foully as Dick ran over and hugged her tight, pride and laughter etched all over his face.

As they and their friends passed her and Bette, Christine gave Artemis a small wink.

"Welcome to Gotham Academy Artemis."

"…Thanks" Artemis frowned slightly. Then it hit her "Hey!"

But the pair had already melded into the sea of students. She stared around wildly. How had that girl known her name?

* * *

Christine was at Freddy's house in her room. It was a large room decorated in a lot of bright yellows and creams. Her bed even had a Pikachu quilt over it with matching pillowcases.

They'd played video games, fussed over Freddy's new baby sister Emily. The little infant was adorable and like her sister and parents was a little blonde angel. Christine didn't think she'd ever seen a sister so doting or so caring as Freddy, who was positively smitten and could even, to her best friend's admiration, bear to change the little tykes' diapers no matter how stinky they were.

Now it was evening and they'd both finally finished their homework, which had only been done at Aunt Jacqueline's insistence to keep the two of them quiet whilst Emily took a pre-dinner nap.

Freddy was in her PJ's and Christine was still in her Ballet gear, as it was her last activity at school for the day. She was now giving her besty a full blow by blow account of her entire first two months with the team. She started from the first trip to Cadmus to the shooting at the Hall of Justice all the way to M'gann and Conner's mission at Belle Reve. The Superboy had confided in Christine that he and M'gann had finally started going out in secret. Needless to say she was positively ecstatic at the news.

She was just telling Freddy about the final few days staying at the Mountain when her com rang on the desk.

"You should get that" Freddy mouthed and Christine tapped it on. They both huddled together excitedly.

"Probably Dick wondering when I'm coming home" she grinned but it was not.

" _Batman to Swift, do you copy_?"

"Yes dad what's up?" Christine grinned as Freddy mimed the horned cowl above her head scowling dramatically.

He sighed in relief when she answered.

" _Thank god! Where are you?_ " Batman's voice though gravelly and deep sounded very worried.

"At Freddy's, Dad what's wrong?"

" _I can't reach Dick at all._ "

"What?"

" _The Cave's completely offline too, all your teammates are not responding to their coms. Even the Watchtower cannot connect to any of them_ "

"What about all the security overrides? Have you tried those?"

" _Yes. But none have worked. I'm about o test the Zeta tubes in the Happy Harbour area to see if they're online_ "

The colour drained from Christine's face.

" _I'll get Alfred to take you home-_ "

"No I'll fly invisibly. It'll be a lot faster for both of us" Christine said tonelessly.

 _"Alright. But when you get back I want you to come directly to the Batcave do you understand?_ "

Christine didn't answer as the familiar image of a staircase flashed in her head again.

" _Christine do you understand?_ "

"Yes" she mumbled as the image faded " Yes…I'll meet you there" she heard the click of the com as it turned off on the other end and turned to her best friend who gave her a solid nod.

"Go" She muttered.

Christine nodded mutely as she opened the window. Freddy gave Christine a quick hug before handing her, her schoolbag. Without further ado Christine jumped out the window and flew off into the night.

* * *

**Happy Harbour, September 22 2010, 21:32 EDT**

Christine was flying outside in the dark night sky in front of Wonder Woman, Superman, Captain Atom and Martian Manhunter whilst Flash, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Batman flew in the Batplane. She was still in her ballet gear not having bothered to dress as it was dark and she could turn invisible whenever she wanted. However she had her mask on and her hair was flying wildly in the winds that were picking up at an alarming exponential rate.

Superman glanced at her worriedly. He'd never seen her so on edge before. She was almost hyperventilating and her fingers had developed a very nervous twitch which was triggered every two seconds.

"Christine I'm sure that they're fi-"

 _Shut it Clark_  Bruce hissed through the mental link Martian Manhunter had established between all the adults.

_Hey I'm just trying to help_

_I know. But when things are like this, don't tell her things are going to be fine. It'll just make it worse. Trust me… I've tried_

Superman scowled angrily wondering what Batman meant when there was a loud clap of thunder. A shot of pain.

_He was watching Christine walk down the length of a dark stone passageway before stopping close to the end. The passage way was old, very old. She seemed to be looking at something on the wall, something which made her shudder._

Superman's eyes flew open. He was now flying through a large storm. Torrents of rain came thundering down from dark swirling clouds that had certainly not been there moments before.

"What is going on?" Captain Atom yelled in shock. Martian Manhunter was clutching his head in agony.

"J'onn!" Wonder Woman flew over but the Martian Man shook his head.

"No, not me! Help her!" He pointed with one hand towards Christine who had suddenly, horribly begun to fall.

Superman barely heard the almost terrified cry from Dinah in his com and immediately pushed himself into a perfectly controlled dive.

She was way further than he'd originally thought was and gaining even more speed as gravity pulled her down.

"Come on" he hissed pushing himself against the wind which pressed against him like highly pressurised water. He had to catch her. Not just for her safety but for Bruce's sanity as well. He shuddered to think what would happen to the Bat if he should lose another member of his family.

He was gaining on her now. He stretched out his arms. He was almost there. He was touching her fingers. He could reach her arms.

He grabbed her close and pulled up sharply. He winced as his feet skimmed the the tops of the trees that fell once again beneath them as he rose back up into the air.

The Bat-plane's ramp opened and he flew inside at once.

As it closed, Batman switched the plane into auto pilot, and ran towards them.

"I got her" he puffed as Batman tore off his cowl, dark blue eyes wide and panic stricken.

Without a word of thanks, Bruce took Christine out of Superman's hols. He strode back to sit in his seat at the helm, holding her gingerly in his lap as he checked her vitals. Barry, Dinah and Oliver all rushed over to look over his shoulder worriedly. After a few moments he mumbled softly.

"She's just unconscious"

There was a huge shared sigh of relief. Superman fell to his knees panting heavily. He'd never felt so tired after a flight. It was as if the force of all winds had been pushing against him.

Dinah slumped back into her seat her head in her hands. Oliver knelt beside his girlfriend rubbing her shoulder consolingly. J'onn also slumped back into his seat but had closed his eyes and was concentrating on his breathing. Barry, Captain Adams and Diana all turned to look out the windows. Superman kept his eyes on Bruce as the dark clad man stared down at the girl in his arms.

"The…the mountain" Barry's voice was dry as he pointed out the window. They all went back and strapped themselves into their seats. The Bat plane was aiming for a clearing in the tree's close to the mountain.

As they descended Christine groaned in her sleep from the air pressure, however she seemed to be much calmer now that she was with him, and curled tighter into his lap.

"We can't take her in with us" Dinah said calmly.

"I know," Bruce pulled up the cowl again "Which is why someone has to stay here with her and man the coms from here. The rest of us have to deal with what's inside.

"Flash, Green Arrow, Captain Atom and Superman should definitely go inside" Dinah nodded.

"Why us?" the four superheros cried out in unison.

"Keep it down?" Diana hissed gesturing to the girl in Batman's lap. They all nodded quickly, muttering their apologies.

"Superman and Captain Atom because of strength and invulnerability Flash for speed and Green Arrow for long distance fighting" she whispered.

"Then by technicality shouldn't Batman, Martian Manhunter or Black Canary be going for stealth?" Flash raised an eyebrow.

Batman shifted uncomfortably in his seat quickly glancing down at Christine. Diana walked over calmly and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I will stay with her"

Batman looked up at her eyes narrowed.

"You don't trust me?" she raised her own eyebrows dangerously.

Every male in the room gulped nervously, including Batman but he recovered quickly.

"It's not that…She's been a bit on edge with everything going on. Add Dick and me being in possible danger and she'll be…" He sighed. "Alright just be sure to stay with her twenty four seven until I get back."

He held onto Christine carefully as he got out of his chair and carefully strapped her in seated into the seat next to the pilots.

"I'll keep her safe Bruce, you have my word" Diana nodded as the Bat joined the others on the ground.

"Twenty four seven?" Flash snorted as soon as the ramp was closed "I know she's your kid Bruce but isn't that a tad extreme?"

"If you don't keep a watch on her like a hawk she'll try and run into the fight no matter how tired she is" Superman explained matter of factly.

Batman nodded keeping his eyes on the side of the mountain where the "front door" was positioned. He pulled up his holo computer and hacked into the systems. He didn't want the computer to alert their enemy too soon to their presence.

The grassy ramp slid down and they quietly rushed down. They hid along the walls and shadows as Martian Manhunter tried to scan telepathically for the Team's presence.

_They're here!_

He cried out.

_Where?_

All the other mentors asked at once.

_The grotto, there is no other presence_

_Not even one hiding their mind?_

Batman narrowed his eyes. Martian Manhunter shook his head but stiffened suddenly. The small patter of feet reached Superman's ears.

"Bruce" he whispered just as the Bat twitched as if to make a move.

"What?" Batman hissed in irritation but then he paused. He'd heard it too. A tiny sharp intake of breath from behind them.

"Get back to the plane" he growled turning as Christine reappeared behind him.

"No" she glared as she descended the ramp softly followed by a very disgruntled Wonder Woman. The Amazon princess gave Batman an apologetic look before joining Dinah at the back.

Batman continued to glare at his daughter, his anger and worry mounting.

"Get back to the plane. That's an order."

"Orders, shmorders! My friends are in there" she hissed.

"You don't have your uniform." Batman growled

"I have a spare in the cave which I could reach through the air vent, invisible without setting off any of the alarms within five minutes" she shrugged. "You don't think I didn't think this through? Or did you think that I would just let the 'grown ups' handle this while I sat obediently like a little girl?"

"Keep talking back like that young lady and you will force my hand" Batman raised himself up to his full height.

"Bat's this isn't the time for you to be all angry daddy on us" Flash hissed, also sounding slightly terrified as he watched on "And you kid, it ain't the best of times for you to go all rebellious teenager on us either so…so…"

Flash faltered flinching as both sets of white slits narrowed dangerously down at him.

"Don't call me kid" Christine hissed softly. The other leaguers shuddered.

Batman sighed eyes still narrowed as he looked Christine up and down.

"Fine you can come. But I want you to remain in telepathic communication at all times."

Christine nodded before promptly returning to her invisible state. They heard the soft tapping of her feet as she made her way across the main hall towards the common room.

"Damn" Green Arrow raised his eyebrows. "She's getting more rebellious than Roy was at this age"

"Ollie" Black Canary elbowed her boyfriend hard in the ribs as Batman turned around to glare at him.

"Ok! Ok! I'm sorry. Now let's get on with it and find our sidekicks"

* * *

They reached the grotto in five minutes. As soon as they'd reached the end of the corridor she saw them.

Without even pausing to think she rushed over frantically to Robin's side.

She placed her fingers over his neck and felt his soft pulse before placing her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and feel his ribcage rise and fall with each breath. There was a tiny groan close to her ear.

"Dick?" She pulled away as the white lenses of Robin's mask widened slowly.

"Christine" He coughed and spluttered, his throat sounding very dry indeed. He struggled slightly as he sat up "Red…Red Tornado he-"

"Shh…Dick it's ok" Christine gently stroked the mop of black away from his forehead.

The sound of footsteps behind her and she turned as the other Leaguers passed them also went over to their sidekick's sides and checked their vitals. Flash and Black Canary went over to Wally and Conner who were both held up by a hardened grey cement like form. Superman shuffled nervously before heading over to Artemis and shaking her shoulder gently. Wonder Woman and Green Arrow quickly made to look around the corners of the cave for any sign of the attack as Captain Atom examined the heat ray. M'gann was revived telepathically by her uncle as Aquaman used his water sorcery on the Grotto's pool to gently spray Kaldur's dry skin.

The Atlantian boy revived almost instantly and immediately sat up. He saw Robin awake and cried out.

"What? Where did Red Tornado go?"

"Peace Kaldur'ahm" Aquaman put a hand on his protégé's shoulder.

"What happened?" Batman strode over to his birds as Robin sat up.

"Red Tornado…has …siblings" he panted.

"What do you mean siblings?" Batman narrowed his eyes.

"Same creator, different robots, different abilities" He leaned heavily on Christine as he stood up.

"What abilities?" Christine squeezed his shoulder gently.

"One was pyro and the other hydro" he scowled at the memory "Artemis and I managed to bring them both down with a EMP burst, using the main generator. Then Red Tornado came and he…he…"

He clutched at his dry throat.

"One of them must've had a virus implanted because when Red Tornado tried to scan them he turned on us" Kaldur finished calmly.

Batman's eyes widened in shock.

"Do you know where he went?"

The two boys shook their heads in unison as two loud gasps were heard as Wally and Conner's eyes flew open.

"It's alright for now" Aquaman put a consoling hand on Kaldur's shoulder "at least the six of you are alright"

They coughed and hacked violently as Captain Atom managed to get the heat ray working, just as Superman managed to rouse Artemis.

"Artemis! Artemis can you hear me?"

The blonde archer's eyes opened slowly.

"She's alright" He turned to the others as he pulled her to her feet easily. She looked around the room'

"What happened?"

"What happened? The Red's happened" She snapped at the Man of Steel brushing herself off of him "Red Tornado and his- wait where are they?" She looked around worriedly.

"Gone" Robin turned around gravely.

"All three of them gone"

He swayed a little from his spot. Christine caught him quickly and helped him back to the ground.

"Damn it" he hissed under his breath. "Can't even stand up straight"

"Swift" Batman looked down at Christine sternly. "Take Robin back to the Batcave via Zeta Tube. I'll return later with the Bat-plane."

Christine nodded and heaved Robin back to his feet.

* * *

**The Batcave, September 22 2010, 22:05 EDT**

"Will you need anything more, Miss Christine?" Alfred said calmly as he put down a tray of medical supplies on the metal table beside the hospital bed.

"I think we can manage" Christine clenched her teeth as she helped Dick sit down on the edge.

"Very well. But if you need my assistance I'll be at the computers for your father"

"Thank you Alfred" She smiled as the old butler walked briskly back up to the Bat-computer.

"Where were you?" Dick hissed slightly as he tried to pull the top of his uniform off.

"hmm?" Christine was focusing on finding the iodine.

"I tried calling you ten times" he grumbled "And you didn't respond."

"All coms were down. And as for where I was, I was at Freddy's place, I told you I'd be going over to her place in fifth period remember? You idiot here let me help"

Robin paused as he felt her cool hands take his top from his grip and pull upwards. He heard her take a sharp breath as she managed to get it over his head.

"That bad huh?" he grunted as he peeled his mask off.

"Oh…Uh…"

His back was covered in small bruises but otherwise it was alright. It had been a long time since she'd seen him topless and that was about a year ago. He was much thinner then and scrawnier, now however it was beginning to resemble the proper v-shape of a well defined man. His muscles rippled slightly as he shifted.

She blushed as she followed the line of his spine down to his lower back.

"Christine?" Dick looked back and saw her slightly pink face gawking at his lower back.

"Sorry" she muttered but Dick turned around to face her and her blush worsened. Like his back he was only lightly bruised on his chest and abs.

"You're perfectly fine" she tried to say as lightly as she could.

"Perfect eh?" he smirked.

"You know what I meant" she scowled folding her arms.

"But do you know what you meant?" Dick's smirk widened cheekily, blue eyes glinting.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation as Dick cackled tackling her into a tight hug.

"I hate you Wonder Boy"

"Sure you do Missy Chrissy. Sure you do"


	15. Episode 13: Alpha Male

**Batcave, 23 September 2010, 03:09 EDT**

Dick opened his eyes to see a bat infested ceiling.

There was a clang as something slammed against a metal table some way away. He sat up and saw them. Bruce and Christine were both in uniform but the cowl and mask were both off as they glared each other down. They both looked equally fuming mad.

"Dad how many times do I have to tell you? I'm not a child anymore; I can look after myself and make my own decisions!"

"I know you are capable Christine but this is your life we're talking about!"

"Master Bruce, Miss Christine. I understand you are both in the middle of a rather important discussion, but could you both please lower the volume. Master Dick is still resting in the med bay"

Alfred's voice was so deadly that Bruce and Christine's faces both paled instantly. They both nodded and the butler's footsteps faded away as he walked out of sight.

"You blacked out again in the middle of a flight. What if you'd blacked out on a mission? What if you were in the middle of a fight and it happened? ... You could've died." Bruce's voice was very quiet now; Dick had to strain his ears to hear it properly.

"Dad, more than half the stuff I do every day almost always puts me in mortal peril"

"I know…but there are limits to how much danger you can put yourself in at any one given time. Especially when you don't have a contingency plan up your sleeve" he sighed.

"You say that to me but you don't follow it" Christine looked away folding her arms. "Talk about hypocritical"

A small smile appeared on Bruce's face as she pouted.

"Perhaps…but like you said…you are part of my legacy…as well as your fathers"

Christine's face turned positively incensed.

"Don't you dare pull my father into this discussion-" she tried to brush past him. Dick saw her eyes on the stairs that led down to him in the med bay. He knew that the closer they got to his apparently resting form the less Bruce could actually talk without fearing Alfred's wrath.

But their mentor was faster in his desperation then Dick thought.

"Christine. Christine I need you to look at me." Bruce placed his gloved hand on her cheek gently and she stopped.

"I knew your father very well"

"Stop" She shook her head. But Bruce kept going calmly.

"And I know he would not want you to-"

"I SAID STOP!" Christine pushed her hands forwards. Suddenly there was a blast of great energy and Bruce flew backwards as if an invisible wall had hit him. Dick winced as he heard the clang of his mentor's body resonate above him.

"Miss Christine!" Alfred cried out as several bats shrieked in terror and flapped around wildly on the ceiling.

Dick jumped to his feet and leapt up the stairs reaching just as Alfred managed to reach a groaning Bruce.

Christine stood there eyes wide and overbright.

"No. no no no no no!" She looked up at him and backed away, holding her hands close to her.

"Shh…Christine it's ok, it's just me" Dick's voice shook slightly as he reached towards her. She was almost turning away but his hand had already reached her neck. He stroked it gently as he reached for a point on her spine which he pressed. Immediately her eyes rolled back and she toppled into his arms.

Dick caught her just as Bruce came to. He sat up groggily clutching at his head. Dick gulped. The front of the grey uniform was slashed quite deeply. Thanks to the heaps of protective padding the slices did not even reach the skin but even so it was not a pretty sight. Bruce traced the lines gingerly with his fingers and looked up as if trying to confirm it was real. Dick nodded as he lowered Christine and himself to the ground

"Thank you Dick" the Dark Knight stood up and limped over.

Dick glared at him, securing his hold on his partner.

"I did it for her, not for you."

Alfred raised his eyebrows at this but at a look from Bruce didn't say a word. He instead opted to bustle down to the medical bay to fetch unnecessary supplies.

"Why did you have to bring her father into it?" Dick hissed as soon as Alfred was halfway down the stairs. "You know she hates it"

"I was trying to reason with her. I thought if my words couldn't get through to her then his might" Bruce said calmly though Dick could tell he was still very shaken up. He was flexing his hands and his breathing was slightly heavier than normal. That didn't stop the bird's irritation.

"It still was a stupid thing to do…Especially since what is happening to her is obviously getting more intense" Dick glanced down to check if she was still unconscious.

"I know…" Bruce looked down on her too. He saw the eyelids twitch slightly but nothing more.

"So what can we do?" Dick murmured.

"Honestly Dick… I really have no idea" Bruce sighed and looked up at the ceiling as the bats finally began to settle down. He fingered the slash marks on his chest again. Christine was human. She had no claws no nothing. Heck she hadn't even touched him when it happened…so what was it?

* * *

**Mount Justice, September 23 2010, 06:34 EDT**

Miss Martian, Superboy, Kid Flash and Artemis all looked at the pair of birds on one side of the table. The two had been inseparable all morning. Inseparable and silent.

Robin kept his arm around Swift as she leaned into his side. She looked like how she had been just after the shooting at the Hall of Justice. She was so downright depressed that even they felt somewhat down without the need of a telepathic connection.

Green Arrow came by and set a bowl of dry muesli in front of them, as if hoping the presence of food would change the horrible mood. Unfortunately for him…

"Thanks but no thanks" Kid pushed the bowl away.

"Yeah what we want are answers. About Red Tornado and his siblings" the Boy Wonder glared at Green Arrow.

"Exactly! Leave the bowl" Kid quickly grabbed at the green archer's wrist to stop him taking the food away.

He shoved a couple of handfuls in his mouth, earning a disgusted look from Artemis in the process. He rolled his eyes at her before turning to Swift. If things were normal she would've been telling them off for being stupid but she wasn't even blinking at the exchange.

He pushed the half full bowl towards her. She looked at it for a moment before taking only one tiny piece.

Superboy watched her nibble on the tiny piece before turning to glance at the corner where Batman was talking quietly with Aqualad. He strained his finetuned ears.

"-during the Taipei mission with Red Arrow." Aqualad was saying softly "Sportsmaster revealed the possibility of a mole within the team. In light of last night's attack Tornado would appear to be the traitor. But whether he betrayed us willingly or was pre programmed to steal-"

"You knew?!"

Swift immediately jolted out of whatever daze she was in to see Batman and Aqualad both turn in shock. Barely a second later Superboy practically threw himself at the Atlantian boy. He caught him by the scruff of his uniform.

"That Android and his maniac family nearly killed M'gann!"

"Conner! What are you doing?" Miss Martian cried out as she and Swift practically flew out of their seats,

"M'gann stop" Swift grabbed her friend's hand to hold her back from entering range of the clone's arms.

"Kaldur knew we had a traitor among us and said nothing!"

"What?" Swift's eyes widened in astonishment.

"You knew?"

"And you didn't tell us?"

Kid Flash and Robin both sounded just as affronted by the news. Kaldur gritted his teeth as if willing himself not to yell.

"I sought to protect the team from-"

"Protect us from what?! Knowledge that might've saved our lives?" Artemis was positively seething.

"You almost died!" Superboy tightened his grip on Aqualad's tunic.

"Enough!" Batman and Swift barked in unison. Everyone turned as Swift quickly avoided her mentor's eye. A slightly sticky silence followed as everyone stopped in their tracks to look between the two.

_Ok something definitely went down between Daddy and his little princess in the Batcave_

Green Arrow scratched his chin and exchanged a worried look with Black Canary who nodded once in acknowledgment.

Meanwhile the aggravated teenagers all lined up under the Batman's stern gaze. M'gann glanced down at Swift. She'd felt a really terrified vibe from the younger girl as she'd looked at her mentor earlier. She picked up her hand and squeezed it gently trying to send a small wave of positive thought. It worked, and she felt Swift's grip on her hand relax considerably.

Batman gave a minute nod to the Martian girl before continuing.

"With Red Tornado…missing. The team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors. Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift" Batman quickly looked over his two partners as a large tall man in a red suit with a white cape strode forwards with a great big spring in his step.

"I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys" he grinned totally ignoring how tense they were.

"After I dismantle Red Tornado" Superboy hissed to Aqualad venomously "you and I are gonna-"

"Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League, that makes him a  _League_  responsibility. You  **will**  leave him to us" Batman glared down at Superboy who actually flinched at the tones and skulked to stand with Swift and Miss Martian.

Satisfied that he'd finally gotten through to the Super clone he smirked.

"I have another assignment for this team"

He pulled up a holographic screen covered with several news articles the most recent being about the Gotham Mayor.

"Gotham Mayor attacked by Guerrilla Gorilla" Kid Flash snorted in exasperation.

_Was this the only thing he could find to distract us?_

Superboy asked Miss Martian and the team telepathically.

_Was that the only stupid headline they could come up with?_

The pair both looked down at Swift. Her face was still stony but they felt her usual cynicism through the mental link. The corners of Miss Martian's lips twitched. That was the first time she'd responded to them at all today.

"Batman please," Robin stepped forwards still rather pissed off "tell me you're not sending us on this joke of a wild ape chase?"

The glare Robin received was so dark that even he shrunk away slightly.

"I never joke about the mission"

Batman straightened up

"I've checked the sources, I've studied the patterns. Mayor Hills encounter was only the latest in a series of incidents. Aqualad" He turned to the Atlantian boy who stood to attention at once "you and your team will depart for India and check this out"

As soon as Aqualad nodded everyone made their way past him, not even waiting to be properly dismissed.

"pff your team" Kid sneered as he passed his team leader.

Swift was the first to reach the Bio ship and she would've slammed into the back door if Miss Martian hadn't followed her in a rush to open it.

Miss Martian and Artemis exchanged glances as she immediately sat in her spot on the right pulling up a screen with all the data of the reports. Superboy quickly came behind them.

"Is she still…"

They both nodded gravely. Superboy stood still for a moment listening as Captain Marvel talked with Robin and Kid Flash outside. Great they were being babysat on missions too?

Robin brushed past him and stood beside his partner quickly murmuring in her ear.

"It's ok you know. You don't have to do this if you don't want to"

"It's ok D-Robin." her hands clenched on the keyboard as she corrected herself "I…just need a little space from dad at the moment anyways"

Dick squeezed her shoulder and made to move away but she grabbed his hand. He looked a little surprised, but still quite pleased when she murmured.

"Thanks"

Swift felt something tap her other shoulder and she turned. Kid Flash grinned at her from a seat diagonally in front, his mouth full of food.

"If you're going to speak I suggest you swallow" She scowled. Instead of complaining Kid complied and grinned wider. "Finally!" he handed her his spare granola bar as he took a bite out of his own again.

"You know I really thought I'd have to dance naked on top of the mountain to get you to react"

"Dude! Gross!" Robin punched his friends arm hard.

"Hey if it could get her back to normal I would do it!" Kid hit him back.

"Yeah well it's still gross!" Robin hit him again.

Swift rolled her eyes and smiled in spite of herself. As she took the food from her friend she spotted Aqualad skulking to the back of the ship, his shoulders hunched.

_One problem down. One more to go_

She sighed before turning back to her screen, trying to concentrate on the screen. But it was insanely hard when Dick kept arguing with Wally behind them both.

She caught Superboy's eye (he was sitting beside her behind Kid Flash) and he gave her a small smile. He reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Welcome back"

* * *

**Northern India, September 23 2010, 21:26 IST**

"Swift wake up"

Swift jerked her head up from her keyboard with a loud cry.

"Gah! Don't eat me Wally"

She looked around at her teammates who all but burst into laughter.

"Yeah Wally don't eat her" Artemis snorted at the speedster's expense. Swift could see Aqualad in a corner smiling but not laughing.

"Sorry I just…so much time staring at the screen I just completely zoned out" Swift groaned as she held her head in her hands.

"Yeah well it's time to zone in. We're almost at the drop point" Robin took her hands away from her face and pulled her up to her feet.

"What's the plan again?" she mumbled as he fixed a line to her utility belt.

Everyone went deadly quiet as they all glowered at Aqualad. He looked down at his feet nervously.

"Re-con mission" Captain Marvel chimed in happily, completely ignoring everyone's angry faces.

It took a couple of minutes of her staring sleepily at him to remember why he was there, and then another couple of minutes to ask herself if he was just dumb or he was just trying to ease the tension. She decided it was a mixture of both.

"Oh… right" she yawned

"Drop zone A in thirty" Miss Martian called from the helm "that means Artemis, Swift and Robin you're up first"

"Good I could use a little wake up" Swift muttered as a hole in the floor opened up behind them.

She, Robin and Artemis all jumped down silently. Even half asleep and in the complete dark she stuck the landing perfectly. The night wind whipped through her hair and she scowled.

"Haven't you done enough damage already" she muttered to it. It shifted slightly, painfully nudging her, like she'd offended it or something.

"Ok! Ok! Cut it out! I'm sorry" she brushed herself off

"Uh… Sorry about what?" Artemis's voice asked nervously in the dark.

Swift clicked a button on her mask and it switched to night vision. Now she could see Artemis was standing in front of her with Robin. Both were looking at her oddly.

"I was talking about myself." She quickly muttered.

"Why?" Artemis quirked an eyebrow.

"Whatever! We have a mission to do!" Swift scowled.

She felt rather than saw the bio ship land some way away in a small clearing. The three of them rushed forwards just as their other teammates jumped off the ramp at the back of the ship.

"All clear" Robin quickly said still eyeing Swift oddly. She looked up at the trees blushing slightly as Aqualad spoke up tapping his belt buckle. His top immediately turned from red to dark grey.

"Switch to stealth, and we'll review mission parameters"

"Parameters?" Kid snapped though he too switched his uniform to stealth mode "We don't need no stinkin' parameters"

"It's recon we know what to do" Robin and Kid turned their backs on the team abruptly.

"Kid, Robin" Swift cried out shocked. Robin looked at her and grabbed her arm tightly.

"Swift! The four of us started this team because the Justice League was keeping secrets from US!" He turned back to glare at Aqualad.

"Or did you forget that, like how you forgot to tell us about the mole" Kid joined them grabbing Swift's other arm. Aqualad stood there at a loss for words. Robin's eyes narrowed.

"Come on"

They both steered her quickly away from the clearing.

"Guys stop!" She hissed but the other two didn't even look back at her. "Guys" she kept trying to call out as quietly as she could but they wouldn't listen.

They'd been struggling along for fifteen minutes before Swift found soft enough ground in which she could dig her heels in.

Robin and Kid both stumbled slightly before glaring back at her.

"What? you want to go back to Kald-?" Robin spat but he faltered. He'd spotted tears streaming from under her mask.

"Dick! Wally! Please" she hissed wincing. Robin and Kid Flash both dropped their grips at once.

"Sorry" Kid looked down at his feet apologetically.

"Just shut up" She snapped rubbing her hands over her arms. The wind blew past her as if attempting to sooth her as she tried shaking of her tears of pain. Her arms were stinging slightly.

Robin pulled up his holo computer. According to the meteorology reports it was supposed to be a quiet night, no winds no nothing and yet that gust had come so quickly and in just their spot.

He felt another gust pass his cheek and followed it with his eyes as it whipped through Swift's brown hair. His computer beeped as several readings spiked up in random bursts. His eyes widened in astonishment.

He'd seen this once before.

"Magic…" he breathed.

"Pardon?" Kid Flash quirked an eyebrow at the bird.

"The wind thing that's happening…it's magic"

Swift looked up quickly as her partners face. She half expected him to be scowling but instead he was grinning excitedly. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks and the wind subsided.

"You have got to be shitting me" Kid groaned and Swift scowled.

Trust Kid Flash to ruin it. Robin seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"I'm not but come on, let's go"

"So secondo in commando" Kid smirked at Swift, earning a tiny glare from Robin which he deliberately ignored "Where to?"

"The cliff. Let's get a good at where the hell we are"

"What is it with you and cliffs?" Kid rolled his eyes.

"Dunno? What is it with you and magic?" Swift countered.

"Touché"

Swift started to feel more like her normal self as they began trekking through the dense foliage. Knowing that Robin was still on her side no matter what she was becoming gave her such a burst of energy that she quickly lost all sense of sleepiness.

The wind rolled past her again.

_What now?_

But before she could get irritated a flapping sound seemed to echo around in the still night air.

"Stop" she hissed dragging the other two behind a fallen log

"What is-" Robin started but she put up her hand to his lips. Wally snorted with suppressed laughter as Robin's face turned bright pink.

Swift ignored the pair of them and listened intently as another gust of wind brought the sounds to her.

"There's flapping and squawking" she murmured.

"Avian squawking?" Kid pulled down his goggles and switched to infrared.

"Definitely" Swift nodded pointing at the moon. They looked up as a loud vwhoosh came from above.

They watched as five birds flew across the moon.

"Just a flock" Swift shrugged turning back with Robin to look through their binoculars. A few moments passed in silence.

"Gah!"

Not one, but three pairs of massive sharp talons clasped at them from the air.

"I thought vultures only ate dead meat?" Robin called angrily as he threw an exploding Birdarang at the buzzard.

"So what does that make us?" Swift jumped into the air using the winds to push herself forwards.

"The prey of some very pro active scavengers!" Kid puffed.

"Pro-active and supersized" Robin glanced back.

Two of the bald headed birds squawked harshly as they followed them through the undergrowth. The other three stayed above the trees, obviously waiting for another opening to dive through.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he looked up at Swift who pushed herself as fast as she could through the air.

"Cobra Venom?" Kid shrugged.

"Yeah! AHH!" Swift cried out as a vulture swooped down on her.

"Chris!" both the boys called out to her as she crashed into the leaves of a tree.

"I'm ok!" she called though secretly she was terrified of those sharp beaks. "Robin on your left!"

Robin turned and jumped to the side darting through vine covered branches. Kid Flash zoomed up a tree using it like a spring board to aim an aerial kick at the vulture.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Swift squeaked. She had managed to lose two of the birds by flying in a narrow space between the trees. However the third one had streamlined its body and was still pursuing her hotly.

_Stay calm child_

"Oh god not you again?!" she groaned. "I honestly have more than enough problems then I would like to have at the moment"

_And I can help you get rid of one behind you_

The voice chuckled amusedly.

_You remember how to see the winds?_

"Uh I don't see how it's going to help-ah!" the vulture lunged at her again and she was forced to immediately fly off to the side.

_Do you remember?_

"Yes! YES!" Swift blinked hard and the colourful strands of wind appeared before her eyes. Two teal strands twisted and she followed their path with her eyes. Both strands were wrapped around the birds wings!

She didn't need the voice in her head to tell her what to do. She grabbed at the teal ribbons and yanked them hard like they were whips. The vulture screeched in pain as its wings crumpled. It fell to the ground with a hard thump.

She blinked again and the ribbons of wind disappeared back into the thin air.

"WHOA! COOL!"

Swift looked down and saw Robin and Kid Flash staring up at her in awe.

"How did you do that?" Robin laughed as she descended back to the ground. Both boys ran over and slung their arms around her shoulders.

"I don't care how she did it! That. Was. Awesome!" Kid grinned.

"It was nothing" Swift smiled shyly tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Something flashed in the corner of her eye. She looked at the unconscious bird on the ground something red was flickering on its neck.

"Hey come and have a look at this" she rushed over and lifted up some of the bird's feathers to reveal…

"An inhibitor collar?" Kid gasped in shock as Robin dashed forward with his holo computer.

"Something's controlling these birds." Robin muttered as he scanned.

"Something or  _someone_?" Swift narrowed her eyes as she clipped off the collar from the birds neck.

"I think I know that look" Kid smirked "Let's go find you that cliff"

* * *

It was half an hour before they actually found the cliff. Some of the birds had swooped down on them again but thanks to Swift's new found control over her powers they weren't too much trouble.

They were looking over the surrounding lands, lying on their bellies when they heard Miss Martian's voice in their heads.

_Link established_

_Should he really be giving us orders_  Artemis complained loudly.  _And should you really be following them?_

 _Listen please!_ Aqualad snapped quickly.

 _Oh good Aqualad's voice in my head_ Kid Flash rolled his eyes at Robin and Swift  _I've so missed that!_

 _Hey Kaldur!_  Robin called in annoyance  _KF, Swift and I were attacked by giant vultures. Of course since we're all moles you probably think we attacked ourselves_

 _If he did he wouldn't tell you_  they could practically feel the blonde archer rolling her eyes.

 _Stop it you all of you!_  Swift cried out angrily  _You're acting like little kids!_

 _You're one to talk, hmph! Short Arse._ Artemis smirked

 ** _What_** _did you just call me?!_ Swift snarled

 _Superboy are you online or are you just pouting?_  Miss Martian cut across the argument firmly.

 _Busy call back later!_  Superboy grunted

 _What gets to me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us_ Kid complained loudly.

 _He should be Chalant!_ Robin agreed  _Way Chalant, extremely chala-_

 _Will you quit the chalant shi-_ Swift rolled her eyes as Artemis steamrolled over her.

_How can we be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets?_

_Or if Conner doesn't trust us to take care of ourselves_  Miss Martian agreed

 _Did he really think you or I could be the mole?_  Kid gesticulated to Swift who shook her head

 _We've known each other for years!_  Robin nodded vigorously

 _Kaldur do something! You're the leader!_ Swift shut her eyes tight. She was beginning to get a major headache.

 _I-I don't know…_  Swift felt Kaldur's irritation hit her through the link. Everyone thankfully had ignored this conversation and were continually talking over one another.

 _Trust is a two way street_ Artemis said as M'gann rolled over her

_And you know they'd hate it if we kept secrets from them_

_Not that we'd do that_

_Never_ the girls agreed.

 _ENOUGH!_  Everyone's conversations stopped abruptly as they felt a surge of anger from Kaldur's mind

_Captain Marvel has been captured and we must act as a team to save him_

_Under your leadership_ Wally snorted earning a sharp glare from Swift _I don't think-_

 _This is not up for debate!_  Kaldur snapped so badly that Robin flinched.  _You all chose me to lead. When the mission is over, if you wish to select a new leader I will happily step down. But until that time I am in command here_

Robin and Kid Flash exchanged disbelieving looks. Swift took a deep breath…

_If Aqualad steps down…so will I_

_WHAT!_ Everyone gasped.

 _You heard me_  she narrowed her eyes at the two boys who were looking at her in shock _._

 _But Swift-_  Robin grabbed Swift's hand to stop her standing up.

_Robin, it's only fair._

_Swift I appreciate what you're trying to do but-_  Kaldur sounded really worried now

_Kaldur YOU chose me to be second in command. If you go then by default I should step down too._

_Swift_  … Robin sounded rather despondent

He knew how important having her position on the team meant to her. He'd never dream of trying to take it away from her even if Kaldur had to step down.

Swift sighed trying hard not to imagine her partner's bright blue eyes widen like a sad kicked puppy dog under his mask.

_I'm sorry Robin, but if you guys can't figure out how to act maturely that's how it's going to be!_

She broke away leaving him, her hand disappearing as she turned invisible. He tried to keep a hold on her hand but like a gust of wind it slipped right through his fingers as she rose to fly into the air.

 _There is a compound_  she narrowed her eyes.

* * *

They were outside a concrete compound which had pylons around surrounding it in a semicircular shape.

Swift and Miss Martian were hidden in the trees both cloaked. Artemis and Aqualad were on higher ground so that the archer had a clear shot and Kid Flash and Robin were lying flat on the ground.

Miss Martian looked hard at the door.

_Swift and I'll fly over-_

_Negatory! the field extends like a dome over the whole compound_  Kid said quickly. Swift looked down and saw he had his infrared goggles on.

 _Pylons are insulated but one good shock could cause a momentary gap_  Robin was typing furiously on his holo computer

 _I see a target_  Artemis pointed with her loaded bow towards a switch.

 _Good because you only get one shot._  Swift narrowed her eyes.

_Then be ready to hit it. Be ready, all of you._

Everyone nodded.

Aqualad dashed out quietly, charging his eel tattoos with electricity. He pressed his palms against the dome which glowed with the sudden charge. Slowly after a few moments a tiny hole appeared in its surface.

 _Now!_  Kid ordered.

Swift blinked hard and saw the wind ribbons again. She could see Artemis's arrow begin to shoot through the air but saw another red line of wind about to blow it off course. Using her hands she carefully dragged the line away leaving the arrow's path clear. It shot through the hole and hit the switch.

The shimmering dome vanished and they all stepped forwards.

But then Robin paused. Swift did too in mid air reappearing.

A monkey was on the roof…a beeping collar around its neck.

It screeched. There were large flashes of red light. Sirens went off from the roof as a platoon of monkeys lunged at them all screeching madly.

Two of them managed to jump onto Swift in mid air. She fell backwards landing hard onto Robin who also was being bitten and scratched ferociously.

"Remove their collars!" Aqualad called out as a monkey dashed away from him.

"Sounds easy when he says it" Robin grunted holding one monkey off him

"Tell me about it" Swift grabbed the jaws of the other monkey about to bite her.

There was a twang of a bow and two arrows snapped past hitting both monkey's collars. They clanged off and both animals scarpered into the trees.

They turned to see Artemis fitting her bow, two monkeys sneaking up behind her. Robin and Swift flung a birdarang each and the monkeys ran for it. The front doors of the compound slid open and a huge dark shape with a red beret and a machine gun stepped through.

The gorilla sniffed the air, grunting loudly before turning round and grabbing something behind him. He flung it to the ground and Miss Martian reappeared wincing.

He aimed his machine gun down.

"Get your paws off her you darn dirty ape!" Kid Flash growled as he sped towards them

The ape turned and Kid sped right into his chest. He was knocked backwards. Swift dodged his body just in time. The gorilla aimed the machine gun on her but she swiped with her hand.

There was a sharp sound of slicing The gorilla stared in shock down at his chest where three large slices cut across the dark flesh. He yelled in fury and aimed a heavy swipe at Swift who darted away in the air.

She had just avoided getting hit by a particularly close fist when the ape rose into the air. It howled in anger as Miss Martian thrust her hand forth and flung it away.

There was a loud crash it crashed into the wall behind. Miss Martian and Swift flew in after it but it was already unconscious. They heard their teammates behind them as something metallic wheeled round to face them in the darkness

A brain in a strange pod with wheels. It had a robotic arm extended with a scalpel at the end.

"It's the Brain!" Kid exclaimed pointing.

"Ugh! I can see it's a brain" Artemis snapped.

"Not a brain  **The**  Brain!" Kid rolled his eyes.

"In ze flesh. So to speak" The Brain rolled forwards his metallic French accent sounding slightly bemused. He turned to the giant ape who had stood up and muttered an order in rapid French.

The ape pressed a button on a small remote in his hand. Four metal pylons grew upwards from the floor to stand in front of them. They glowed blue and they all fell backwards with a cry.

"Ow" Swift grunted. Robin had fallen on top of her his head hitting her stomach and winding her slightly.

 _Miss Martian, Superboy now!_  Aqualad ordered telepathically.

Miss Martian's eyes glowed and the gorilla in front let go of the remote. It flew over towards her and the button clicked.

The pylons deactivated quickly. They all stood up just as the wall behind the Brain smashed.

Superboy stepped through his shirt torn with lots of bite and scratch marks all over his shoulder. Beside him a giant white wolf stood yellow eyes blazing. It pounced on the giant gorilla knocking it back.

The ape stood up only to be kicked by a speedy Kid Flash. It tried shooting it's machine gun off after him but Robin and Swift both swooped down, boy wonder on the grapple gun, girl wonder from the air. He shot after them and Miss Martian lifted him up with her telepathy. He crashed to the ground on his back, before rolling over and angrily roaring.

Superboy leapt up and hit him, but was sent flying back as the machine gun fired off. Thanks to the invulnerability of his skin he was fine. There was an explosion on the arm of the ape and he turned as Artemis fitted another exploding trick arrow into her bow.

Robin and Swift joined her the former pushing his partner behind him.

_Help Kaldur and Captain Marvel!_

Swift nodded flying off as Aqualad dodged a laser ray shot by the brain. She threw down a smoke pellet trying hard not to laugh at the Brain's furious out burst

"MERDE!"

"Thank you!" Aqualad called

"No prob" Swift smirked as they reached a larger room. It had large computers all around and a large medical bed in the centre. Captain Marvel was lying strapped to it, an inhibitor collar on his neck.

Using his strength Aqualad snapped the collar off the man's neck.

"Thanks!" Captain Marvel grinned before sliding off and going to the tiger on the floor "Now one good turn deserves another"

He tore the collar on the big cat in two and it rolled over to stand. Something metallic and something huge thudded into vision a little way away.

The tiger growled and Aqualad, Swift and Captain Marvel readied themselves into battle positions to face the Brain and his ape sidekick. It roared as Superboy stepped forwards flanked by the white wolf.

"try it" he snarled cracking his knuckles "I hate monkeys"

The monkey snarled but the Brain sighed behind him.

"No Mallah, this will not be our Waterloo" there were several metallic clicks as the Brain's secret compartments opened up revealing red glowing rods.

"Au revoir mes amis" he hissed.

"Get down!" Kid flash cried out as one by one the light switches turned off dramatically.

5…

Swift jumped down to the ground…

4 …

She grabbed Aqualad…

3…

She pulled him behind the table…

2…

Swift shut her eyes tight waiting for the impeding Bang of an explosion.

1…

All the lights went out.

…

…

…

Swift opened her eyes as a dim light flickered above them. Aqualad looked at her eyebrows raised in astonishment. They both peered over the medical table.

Everyone else was unfurling from their crouched positions. The Brain and Mallah the ape, were both gone.

Kid Flash was the first to recover.

"Wait. That big weapon thing was just…a light switch?"

Everyone exchanged very confused glances indeed.

* * *

Robin and Captain Marvel kept a watch on Aqualad as the last of the animals, rushed up to them at the large tiger's command and allowed Aqualad to take the collar off.

"That's the last of the collars?" Captain Marvel stooped down to pat the tiger's back. It made a rumbling noise as if agreeing.

"And I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?"

Another small rumble.

"Good" Marvel scratched its neck and it almost purred in contentment. "I'll be back for a visit. I promise"

The tiger roared but not dangerously as it leapt off into the night. Captain Marvel waved back at it watching its tail bounce with each bound.

"I think I'll call him Mr Tawney"

The Boy Wonder snorted under his breath. This Marvel guy was weird, nice and fun and all but weird.

He looked up to a spot some way away where Superboy was scratching the furry chest of the large white wolf.

"The rest of the pack is gone. What are you still doing here?"

"I think he wants to stay with you" Miss Martian and Swift both smiled fondly as Superboy turned around his face full of excitement.

"Can I keep him?"

Swift chuckled softly under her breath as the wolf pressed its white snout into her hands as if asking the same question.

"We'll see" It whined happily as she scratched the fur behind its ear shoulder.

Kid Flash laughed. "First the sphere and now this beast? Dude you sure have a habit of collecting strays."

"Maybe because he's such a stray himself" Miss Martian's smile softened. Swift turned tactfully away and grinned at Robin. The wolf feeling her fingers hesitate in scratching his ear nosed her stomach playfully.

"Whoa there uh…hmm" she scratched his ear thoughtfully.

"What?" Kid Flash raised his eyebrow.

"If we're going to keep him he's gonna need a name"

"How's about Krypto?" Kid suggested.

The wolf growled at him.

"Pass" Superboy smirked. The canine stopped growling at once.

"Besides, isn't that taken?" Miss Martian exchanged a nervous glance with Swift.

_You two made up?_

She asked. Miss Martian's eyes widened a fraction.

_You knew?_

_I told her after we came back from Belle Reve_

Superboy glanced down at the ground, looking slightly worried.

_Don't worry you two. You're secrets safe with me_

Swift gave a small wink to the pair as she rose up into the air. Miss Martian and Superboy both smiled.

She flew over to the bottom of the ramp, landing behind Aqualad as he walked up. Robin stood at the top arms folded as he narrowed his eyes at the team leader.

"Look I have to know," he said quietly "Why did you keep the mole intel a secret?"

Aqualad stopped in his tracks and turned to face everyone who had all stepped forwards to hear better.

He took a deep breath. "The source of the tip was Sportsmaster."

"WHAT?" Artemis's eyes bulged out of her sockets "You can't trust him"

"I do not" Aqualad tensed up "But it seemed possible, even likely that he was attempting to divide the team with false information"

"And given how this mission went, he nearly succeeded. But you also had to consider that it might've been true too" Swift narrowed her eyes at Aqualad who nodded.

"Yes, as leader I did. In which case I did not wish to alert the traitor"

Robin looked down at Swift as she walked up to stand beside him.

"I hate to say it but…it actually makes sense"

"I am still prepared to step down, though I would highly recommend that Swift stay in her position" Aqualad said but Swift smiled.

"Kal, my decision remains the same whether you like it or not" Swift folded her arms looking back at the team.

"All those in favour of keeping Aqualad and Swift in charge" Kid called out.

Every member put up their hands.

"Thank you" Aqualad nodded at Swift as Captain Marvel flew up to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Guess it's unanimous" he held out his hand and Aqualad and Swift both shook it in turn before the hero turned round

"See you tomorrow"

"Wait you're not coming back with us?" Aqualad's eyes widened in surprise.

"Nope gotta fly" and with that he jumped off the ground and into the air.

"He is one strange guy" Swift cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Totally" Robin muttered, nodding slowly as they turned to go back inside the ship.

"So Conner is the wolf coming with us?" Swift waited until the super clone, the canine and the Martian girl were level with her.

"Yes!" Superboy said at once.

"So what are you going to call him?" Miss Martian asked quietly.

"What's wrong with Wolf?" Conner quirked an eyebrow.

"Generic but acceptable" Kid Flash nodded as he handed Swift another nutrition bar.

"Swift…" Artemis said watching the speedster and the girl bird tear through their food rapidly. "Are you going through a growth spurt or something?"

Swift swallowed the whole lot. "Dunno I just get really hungry after missions. Why what's up?" She looked at the archer who shuffled nervously.

"It's nothing, it's just you're eating more than Baywatch over there" Artemis turned away in her seat. Swift's mouth was full so she just shrugged and went back to eating, as Wally and Artemis resumed their usual fighting, much to everyone's annoyance.

* * *

**The Batcave, 24 September 2010, 03:04 EDT**

Christine and Dick walked out of the small shower stalls, located close to the Bat Computer laughing and chatting about their mission excitedly when there was a loud rumbling of an engine. They turned as the black form of the Bat-mobile zoomed down the long path from the secret entrance all the way down to the platform.

Christine stepped back so that she was hidden behind Dick. He grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"It'll be fine" he murmured but she still shut her eyes tight.

The black car gently slid into a stop in its parking space and the door opened upwards.

Batman stepped out, his dark silhouette stark against the light of the computer screens behind him. he looked up and saw his two partners in their pyjamas with towels over their shoulders.

"Welcome back" he growled softly.

"Same to you" Dick nodded curtly.

Christine didn't answer but avoided Batman's eye. Damn she was still not talking to him. Batman took a deep breath his fists clenching slightly. Dick stiffened and he positioned himself in front of his partner in a protective stance.

Batman had to admit he was rather impressed at the boy's daring. He raised his eyebrows and stared down at the bright blues that glared up at him defiantly.

"Stop this now" they both started as Christine yanked Dick back by the shoulder. She tried glaring at the both of them but their shocked expressions were just too funny. She had to turn away to snort with laughter before rushing up to Batman and slapping him behind his head.

"That was for trying to use my father against me in an argument"

Batman nodded silently rubbing the back of his head. Dick started cackling smugly from the side. He glared at his shorter partner who poked out his tongue before…

"OW! Chris!" Dick complained loudly. Now he too was rubbing the back of his head.

"And that, you great buffoon is for being mean to Kaldur on the mission"

"Oh come on! As if you weren't mad at him too?" Dick glared at her as she began briskly walking off in front.

"Of course I was mad at him. But you and dad just pissed me off more. Which means you get none of the chocolate cake I made in Home Ec yesterday" she turned around and stuck her tongue out at the both of them.

The bat and the bird both scowled as she skipped off up the stairs and into the manor.

Damn. And they had both been looking forward to having that cake all day.


	16. Episode 14: Revelation

**Mount Justice, October 1 2010, 18:13 EDT**

Kaldur and Dick both grunted as they threw punches at each other. Each swipe they took was being recorded by the holographic sparring system and each hit that got them was stored as a point. Just a little way away a dark haired man with a clean moustache dressed in a magician's suit and top hat, stood next to Captain Marvel who seemed to be snacking on one of Wally's treasured granola bars. Both were watching the fight with amusement and talking quietly with each other.

Dick blocked but then countered with a kick aiming for Kaldur's head. The Atlantian boy leant back to dodge and aimed a swipe with his fist. Dick flipped away, lightly dodging and countering the older boy's heavy hits with his own sharp ones.

Kaldur aimed another punch but was forced to flip back as well as Dick aimed a head kick, barely scraping his chin. They landed backwards panting just as footsteps came up the length of the hallway leading from the training rooms.

The glowing circle beneath them vanished and they turned to see Conner and M'gann walk in looking very chummy, the clone in his usual clothes and M'gann in a purple version of her usual ensemble.

"y'know they're a couple right?" Dick leant in to mutter.

Kaldur raised his eyebrows M'gann giggled and poked Conner. "I believe I knew before they did"

The two of them watched a little longer as Christine followed gambolling behind with wolf who barked playfully, trying to nip at the hem of her short white skirt.

She looked up at Kaldur and Dick and smiled warmly at them both. The two boys both smiled and waved back. She laughed as the giant canine tried nosing her sky blue top to get her to pay attention to him.

"Hey there Missy, what's up?" Dick popped the p with a playful grin.

"The ceiling" Christine called out giving a final scratch to Wolf's neck before jogging up to the two of them.

"onnercay isway oinggay outway ithway annm'gay" Dick folded his arms proudly but Kaldur just quirked an eyebrow at Christine who rolled her eyes.

"Pig Latin, and yes Robby I do know that Conner and M'gann are a couple. You might say I've known since the -"

She broke off as she heard more footsteps, this time from the hallway behind them. They turned and saw Artemis and Wally both scowling as they walked towards them.

"Do we tell them?" Dick smirked.

"It is not our place" Kaldur and Christine both gave the Boy Wonder with equally pointed looks as the pair walked up to them.

"So if Zatara's our babysitter for the week why is  **he**  still here? And why is he eating my snacks" Wally jerked his thumb towards Captain Marvel who didn't notice the jab and continued talking with Zatara.

"Because your snacks are so easy to access" Christine took out a bar from a pocket and unwrapped it.

"Oh Babe! Come on?!" Wally groaned in defeat as she took a deliberately slow bite.

Dick and Artemis both cackled as a zeta tube whirred into action some way away.

**_Recognised Batman 02_ **

They all turned to see the large form of the Batman stride into the hall looking very grim.

"Computer, National news" he commanded and immediately a blue holographic screen with a video channel popped up revealing Cat Grant's face. As she spoke images of Metropolis flashed across the screen, a giant green plant thing wrapping and coiling around the buildings as Leaguers tried attacking at it.

_"The initial attack was short lived. But Metropolis was only granted a short reprieve. And despite the intervention of Superman and the Justice League, there seems to be no end in sight"_

"Should we get out there?" Dick asked quickly, the others nodding in agreement as they stood beside him.

"No. The League will soon have the situation under control, but that's not why I'm here" Batman turned to face the team.

"According to your intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus Blockbuster formula to Kobra"

"Who combined it with Bane's Venom to create Kobra Venom" Wally nodded.

"Which the brain used to create his animal army" Dick looked at Wolf and Conner who smiled and scratched the large canine's chin.

"And upgrade Wolf"

"The brain also used inhibitor collars," Christine folded her arms staring hard at the holograph of the villain on the screen.

"Like the ones at Belle Reve penitentiary" M'gann agreed.

Artemis stepped forwards, looking so very nervous that Christine and Dick exchanged glances.  
"Batman, is it possible that that plant thingy is on Kobra Venom too?"

"I had Green Lantern run a spot analysis" Batman nodded and pulled up a holographic keyboard. "the vine's cellulous does contain trace amounts of a Kobra Venom variant."

But that wasn't the only thing Christine could see as he analysed the molecular structure on the screen then looked at the frozen picture of the plant attacking metropolis.

"Of course" she muttered.

"Swift?" her mentor gave her a pointed look and she coughed quickly.

"The plant is Poison Ivy's." She pulled up her own screen which scanned the image more thoroughly as she pulled up a second image in front of her of a green DNA strand.

"Every single one of the plant's Poison Ivy grows herself contains a trace amount of her own DNA, hence why she has an unnatural amount of control over them. This is hers on its own." she pointed to the green helix "and this is the Kobra Venom plant's one" she pointed back to the first image. The two double helixes were almost the same except for a few changes to the proteins.

"Hey not bad babe" Wally patted Christine on the shoulder but she ignored him as she continued to scan.

"Don't congratulate me just yet. There's something else laced in there too… but I'm not sure…" She narrowed her eyes as she spotted another strain of DNA but this one was rather… mutated in a really strange way.

"These cannot be co-incidences" Kaldur spoke up sternly "unrelated criminals are co-operating with each other world wide"

"Exactly. It's now clear that our enemies have formed a kind of … Secret Society of Super Villains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning"

Batman was trying not to smirk with amusement as Dick also pulled up a holographic screen and began typing furiously. It seemed like the two of his protégés were really in the zone today.

"You got that right" Dick glared hard at his keyboard as he summoned more screens around the main one. "Plant creatures have also sprouted in Gotham City, Paris, Star City and Taipei"

The screens suddenly went to static and Batman whirled around.

"Dude," Wally hissed at the birds who both started to type faster than ever. Artemis stared in amazement as their fingers flew over the screen in a blur.

"It's not me. Somebody's cutting the satellite signal" Dick grunted.

"It's not just yours. Every single frequency is down. Jesus Christ!" Christine jumped back as a man's face flashed on her screen. His skin was chalk white, with a mop of green hair atop of his face. His suit was purple a ridiculous pink flower on the lapel.

He tapped what was probably the camera on his end and his blood red lips split in an insane, terrifying sneer across his face. Christine shuddered at the sight of the wildly glinting green eyes.

" _Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this important announcement_ " The Joker hissed as he flipped out a knife and turned the camera by hand to face a group of people standing close by.

" _From the_ _ **In**_ _-justice League_ "

Christine recognised all of them at once, especially the red haired woman standing at the side wearing a leotard made of leaves.

A man dressed in formal green attire stepped forwards from his spot in the front and spoke in a very thick eastern European Accent " _We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them a ransom of ten billion American Dollars will be required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit but the longer your governments wait…"_

The man broke off as the Joker turned the camera back on himself. " _The more we get to have our… Jollies! Ahahahhaahaha!_ "

Christine gulped as Joker's creepy cackles echoed through the caves speaker systems, before the screens turned once again to static.

"God I hate him" she muttered to Dick who nodded in grim agreement.

Batman put a hand up to his com "Roger that Aquaman. The UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback but it won't come to that"

"Count Vertigo, the Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Wotan. Seven heavy hitters. Probably behind nearly everything and everyone we've faced" Dick frowned as the facial recognition scanners highlighted each super villain's face.

"There's your secret society" Wally muttered.

"Not so secret anymore" Artemis looked on Christine's screen. Kaldur glared hard at the main screen.

"Perhaps after India, they realised we would deduce the truth and saw no point in hiding any longer"

'Yeah?! Well that was their mistake" Wally pounded his fist into his palm excitedly "Right now I say we go and kick some plant creature butt"

"The Justice League will handle the plants; I have a different job for this team" Batman cut across the young speedster who groaned.

"Aw man, ow!" he winced as Artemis hit his shoulder. Batman ignored them.

"With the plants attacking so many locations simultaneously, there must be a central control system. Your mission is to destroy it."

"You realise what you're really asking them to do" Zatara stepped forwards concernedly. Batman looked back at the team, specifically at his two protégés who were both looking very apprehensive.

"They're ready"

Christine would've done a somersault right there and then if it hadn't been for Wally who cried out in confusion.

"Ready? Ready for what? Ow would you cut that-"

"Hello Wally" Artemis pulled back her fist from his arm "If the big guns are fighting plants who do you think we'll be fighting?"

"I don't know I guess…"

Christine rolled her eyes and grabbed Wally's jaw to force him to look at the screen displaying all the super villains.

"Ohhhh…" his eyes widened with dawning comprehension.

"Took you long enough" she smirked. Wally scowled as Artemis snorted from behind.

"Well Batman, I trust you are correct" Zatara looked at Batman who narrowed his eyes.

"I trust you can locate the enemy"

"Indeed," the magician nodded "Wotan's involvement suggests that sorcery is part of how the plants are controlled."

"Would it also explain the weird readings I'm getting from the sample?" Christine showed the plants strange DNA strain again.

Zatara nodded "Indeed it would. Swift could you please provide a holo map?"

"Sure" Christine began typing quickly and a holographic globe appeared before them.

"I'll search for signs of concentrated sorcerer's activity" He stepped towards the globe and held out his white gloved palms, frowning hard with concentration.

"Etacol retnecipe fo yrecros!"

It was perhaps just a second but Christine gasped softly as she felt the air in the room change. Something like a trail of white energy slipped out of the magician's mouth as he finished the last word and zipped onto a point on the globe, right over to somewhere in lower North America.

Christine quickly looked at her friends. All of them seemed rather indifferent to the action, like they had not seen anything at all.

"That is where you will find the Injustice League's central control system" Zatara lowered his hands as a holographic dot appeared where the spell had landed.

Dick cried out "Co-ordinate's locked in, the Louisiana Bayou"

"We are on our way" Kaldur nodded once to Batman as the team ran off.

The older magician's eyes widened in shock as Christine passed him, her purple irises illuminated in the light of the globe. She was far away from him to touch but even so he swore he had felt the tiniest of brushes against his suit, as if a draft had flown by. But the weather today was perfect, and the cave was designed for maximum comfort, so how could it be drafty? Then the moment passed and the girl was dashing after her teammates down the long dark corridor.

As Batman ordered Captain Marvel to join the Justice League, Zatara kept staring at the corridor, watching as the white of the girl's skirt whipped out of sight.

"Interesting…"

"What?" Batman narrowed his eyes. Zatara glanced at his colleague and frowned slightly.

"You're daughter…How long has she had her powers?"

* * *

**Bayou Bartholomew, October 1 2010, 18:52 EDT**

Swift sat in her usual spot behind Robin in the Bio ship. They were flying over the Bayou at top speed, though even that was too slow for her. It took nearly all her will power to keep herself from using the winds to speed them up. She had to conserve her strength for battling the Injustice League.

Everyone was on edge and were all coping with it with their various ticks. Robin kept polishing his already very shiny birdarangs; Miss Martian was piloting the ship; Superboy was petting Wolf (who for some strange reason was tagging along); and Kid Flash was stuffing his face with fruit and other stuff whilst Artemis scowled at him as she prepped her trick arrows.

The speedster turned to Aqualad who sat beside Swift continuously glancing down at an average sized dark duffle bag.

"What's in the duffle?" Kid swallowed half a banana in one go.

"Plan B" the Atlantian looked back towards the front of the ship.

There was a grunt of pain from the back where the helm was.

"You alright?" Superboy looked at M'gann who put her head in her hand.

"Ugh. Dizzy" she groaned.

Swift raised her eyebrows

"Martians get-"

"Air sick?" Robin finished as they exchanged glances.

"She does look a bit greener than usual" Kid muttered as everyone leant towards their friend concerned.

"Not me her!" Miss Martian shook her head.

"I feel fine" Artemis looked at Swift who shook her head shrugging.

"Not you two, the Bio ship. She's trying to shield us but-"

"ARGH!" Swift clutched her head as a piercing high pitch rang through her ears.

"Swift what's wrong" Aqualad reached forwards but she swatted his hand away on auto pilot.

"Bloody High Frequency" she grunted as Miss Martian cried out in pain.

They all held on tight as the ship swerved ominously. Miss Martian was forced to uncloak the struggling ship to apply full mental strength into the acceleration.

They began to level out.

There was a loud crashing sound from beneath them on the ground.

"Uh …guys…What was that?" Artemis's face paled. But no sooner had Kid Flash opened his mouth did something crash into the bottom of the Bio Ship.

"AHHHHH!" they all yelled as the ship was thrown high into the air before plunging down to the swampy mass below.

Swift blinked hard and summoned the images of the swirling wind ribbons before her eyes. As everyone yelled she tried weaving the threads together like a net with her mind. The swirling colours caught them but they still thudded over the surface of the water.

There was a loud splash that sent everyone jerking against their seatbelts painfully. Everyone groaned including the ship.

Swift looked out her window and saw a giant green tentacle like thing wrap around one of the ship's wings. The tentacle gave a massive tug which jerked her again against her seatbelt and she gasped as the waterline went higher and higher up her window.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Swift looked up as a pair of large hands tore a hole in the ceiling of the ship to reveal a man with short dark hair and wearing a black suit. Black Adam growled down at them as he tried to wrench the hole wider.

"Argh! He's hurting her!" Miss Martian grunted clutching her head. Seeing this too Superboy leapt up and punched Black Adam's face. He let go and the top of the ship was finally dragged down below the waterline.

Swamp water burst through the hole in the ship in torrents.

Swift fumbled through her utility belt, trying to remember where she put her respirator.

_Shit no! Where is it?_

"Swift what's wrong?" Robin swam over to her side as a string of swear words in multiple languages escaped her mouth.

The water was almost past her shoulders now.

She paused for a second treading the water.

"God I hope this works" she muttered she scrunched up her eyes tight.

"Swift what-" Robin winced as a rush of wind whipped past him.

A second later her eyes snapped open and she dropped below the surface of the water without taking a breath.

"No. No way am I nearly drowning three missions in a row!" Artemis complained loudly as Robin shoved his respirator into his mouth and dropped under the water too.

He saw Swift swimming quickly to hold onto her seat. Her body seemed to be coated in a strange translucent membrane, almost like a bubble. She gave him a thumb up as everyone else joined them underwater.

Miss Martian swam down to the bottom of the ship, bubbles issuing from the small gills she'd grown on the sides of her neck. Her eyes glowed white for a moment and she opened up a large hole.

_Out! Everyone out!_

Aqualad ordered loudly through the telepathic link. Everyone swam through the hole quickly trying to make their way for the surface.

Swift used her flying powers to propel herself up beside Aqualad whose eyes widened at the sight of the air bubble around her body.

He quickly recovered himself. There would be time to talk later. He pointed to her, Robin and Miss Martian signalling for her to group with them. She nodded speeding over to swim by her respective teammates as they came around a rock into the shallows.

Everyone panted as they stepped out onto the muddy bank. Wolf shook his fur out and splattered water all over them.

"Phew" Robin sighed in relief as they stood up "That was close"

"Too close" Swift agreed before facing Miss Martian who was with Superboy looking between the trees. "How's the bio ship?"

"She's in shock. She'll need time to recover-AHH!"

Everyone cowered as the piercing waves of high frequency hit their ears again. Swift clutched at her head again as her body rang with pain. She and Robin slid to their knees as a blurry mass of green walked over to tower over Kid Flash beside them.

"V-Vertigo" Kid winced.

"Count Vertigo to you  **peasant** " Count Vertigo spat down.

Swift grunted trying to crawl forwards as Superboy tried to rush the Count who promptly dropped his high frequency wave attack. However Black Adam sped up to the clone boy from nowhere, hitting him squarely in the jaw.

Superboy fell through a few trees to their left Adam following close behind. Aqualad stood up, quickly using his water bearers to summon up jets of murky swamp water. Like whips he aimed them at Count Vertigo who was bashed away landing somewhere in the undergrowth of the trees around them. He turned to look back at his team who were all struggling to their feet.

_Swift, Robin, Miss Martian. Disappear. We will keep them busy. You three will fulfil the mission objective._

The three nodded, Swift and Miss Martian promptly turning invisible whilst Robin ninja stepped away into the trees. As she followed, Swift heard Wolf snarling as he attacked Black Adam who'd returned to the fray.

It took all Swift had to stop herself from going back to help the others. Robin and Miss Martian felt her apprehension through the link.

_They'll be fine_

Robin tried to sound nonchalant as he stepped quietly over a root of a tree. It was slowly getting quieter as they walked further away.

_I hope so._

Swift watched as her partner pulled out his holomap. She felt a disturbance in the wind as Miss Martian flew beside her.

_I've lost contact with Aqualad and the others. Should we-_

_Sorry that's not the gig, this is!_

Robin cut across firmly as he pulled back a branch. A glass dome like structure was dimly illuminated from within, like some kind of greenhouse.

_The Injustice League's central control system_

Robin glanced to his side as Swift reappeared.

_Looks like that plant is acting like an antenna to control the other plants world wide_

Swift raised her eyebrows as she looked upwards towards the top of the dome where a large green something was sprouting upwards towards the sky.

_Is it just me or does that look like a giant beanstalk?_

_Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum_

Robin smirked and Swift chuckled over the link.

_Fee-fi what?_

Miss Martian sounded confused. Swift rolled her eyes.

_Note to self. Make sure M'gann and Conner know their Earth fairytales back to front, before they go to school next week. Huh?_

She stiffened as she felt something slither over her ankle, something that felt strangely like... She spun around and at once thick, green vines wrapped around her, Robin's and Miss Martian's bodies like slithering serpents

"Well hello" the amused voice of a woman floated over to them as they struggled. Swift looked up as the red haired, pale form of Poison Ivy stepped forwards into the light followed by a large gorilla with a large gun, Ultra Humanite.

"And Goodbye…"

He aimed it at the three of them eventually settling on Miss Martian who gasped. Her eyes quickly turned green and Humanite aimed the weapon for the vines instead. In a red hot blast their organic bonds were destroyed and the three teenage heroes sped towards the shadows.

Ivy watched through narrowed eyes as Robin zipped past her into the shadows of the trees.

"Sorry Boy Wonder. I'm putting an end to your Reconnaissance mission"

She aimed more of her plants at the bird who dodged each one smoothly. However he was moving further and further away from his goal. Swift saw him make a signal and took out her war fans. She swiped with them in a graceful arc and a large gust of wind blew into the plant controlling woman, knocking her to the ground.

Ivy stumbled forwards as Robin jumped around her towards his partner whom she saw quickly through the corner of her eye.

"YOU!" Ivy's face contorted with rage.

"Long time no see Ivy." Swift smirked as she dodged a large vine in the air.

Robin cackled and he aimed a birdarang which exploded upon impact with the plant. But several more appendages still aimed at the two of them. They dodged this way and that, slowly but carefully crawling closer to the Injustice Leagues Base

"Wow... Ivy's really on a roll today huh?" Robin puffed as he landed once again on a tree branch.

"No kidding" Swift huffed as she landed on the branch of an adjacent tree.

No matter how much Swift sliced with her powers or Robin tried to blow them up and dodge them, the plant was just not stopping to grow. Zatara was indeed right. The plants were imbued with a special kind of magic in them.

They jumped out of the tree together sliding over the tops of its roots which promptly came to life beneath their feet. They jolted and the two birds flew straight into the muddy ground a few feet away.

"Urghh" Swift groaned as she and Robin both sat up groggily. The plant was above them, its tentacles writhing as it geared itself for a final strike.

Then suddenly out of the blue they each exploded out of existence. There was the nasty squelching noise of the water trapped inside dropping to the earth as Miss Martian flew over to hover in front of them.

_Robin, Swift she's made contact._

_Artemis?_  Robin cocked his head to the side in confusion as a golden box passed over them in the sky.

 _No_ M'gann grinned at Swift who looked up at the sky as the air was distorted around a large red shape. The bioship came silently up behind the cage and hit Wotan, who seemed to be making it. Instantly the gold dissolved and they saw the dark shapes of their teammates fall to the ground.

Swift and Miss Martian both grabbed Robin by the arms and tugged him up with them into the sky.

They landed on the roof quietly.

 _Let's go!_ Swift nodded at her partner.

 _M'gann catch!_  Robin lazily threw some of his unarmed exploding birdarangs which the Martian caught with her telekinesis. Quickly as shadows they managed to cover the tree with the glittering lights.

"Well we did what we could" Robin shrugged before gesturing to Swift. "Care to do the honours?"

"It'll be my pleasure" Swift smirked, looking on Poison Ivy down below.

"My babies" As the green skinned woman turned her head to look up; the bird girl pressed the trigger in her belt.

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

There was an almighty shriek from all around the three of them as the plant screeched in pain. As it went up in flames an almighty sting shot through Swift's brain. She touched a hand to her temple and rubbed it. Maybe it was just the explosions?

She looked down upon the muddy ground where Ivy glared up at them.

"Timber" Robin smirked at his partner.

Swift gave him a small smile but said nothing more. As she watched the plant's limbs smouldering around her she knew deep down inside, that this pain in her head was not her own. It was the plants.

She didn't have time to dwell on this strange revelation for Ivy launched more of her "babies" at them.

Miss Martian used her telekinesis to destroy them quickly, but was forced backwards by a beam of green energy.

Atomic Skull stepped forwards, the Joker standing behind him.

"Children? Children foiled our plan?" The Clown Prince of Crime growled furiously as Robin dragged Swift away by the hand as another one of Atomic Skull's energy beam hit close to them.

"Inconceivable! Unacceptable! Retributional! The last one might not be a word so sue me." His face split into an insane grin.

Robin and Swift both jumped off the building, the latter using her wind powers to safely land them next to Miss Martian, who was groaning slightly from her fall. They helped her up quickly only to have to scatter as Atomic Skull landed behind them and fired another energy blast from his helmet.

Swift dodged through the battle field trying to find a spot from which she could use her powers to good effect. She saw Wotan hovering above her and fired her last two exploding birdarangs at him.

"ENOUGH!" the sorcerer yelled as the smoke cleared. Swift gulped and saw he had constructed a magical golden bubble around himself like a shield. He looked down on her coldly as she backed away.

Wotan raised his palm and a white hot bolt of lightning shot out hitting Swift squarely in the chest. Over her own cry of pain she could hear the splashing of mud close by as someone came running over to her spot.

"Swift no! Argh!" Robin cried out as he too was hit by white lightening. One by one Swift heard her other teammates get hit by the magic beams.

In a blur she saw Miss Martian fall before Aqualad's feet. She saw too the duffle bag from the bio ship fall into his lap. One handed Aqualad took out a golden helm. Wotan's lightening ceased as he stared wide eyed at the Atlantian boy.

"The helmet of fate…" Swift breathed. She'd only ever seen illustrations of the famed magical artefact, and had heard of its powerful spirit Nabu, who had long ago taken the host of the late Kent Nelson. It was said that once one put on the helmet it would be difficult and close to impossible for the host body to take it off.

_But that means…_

Her eyes widened as she saw Aqualad hold the golden helmet high over his head.

Swift got to her feet as Kid Flash cried out.

"No Aqualad don't!" Kid Flash cried out but he was knocked sideways by Black Adam. Superboy launched at the villain, once again engaging him in combat as a brilliant golden light shone through the clearing.

She rolled through the mud bumping hard into someone. The light soon cleared revealing a figure with a golden cape and armour over a dark blue suit.

"Kaldur…"

But the helmeted figure just looked down on her and Swift knew that by the look in his light green eyes, her friend was no longer there. He looked at the red clad sorcerer and flew in front of him.

"Wotan you are mine" Nabu said with Aqualad's voice.

Wotan glared and fired a beam of orange magic at Nabu who merely fired his own beam of golden magic without batting an eye. The evil sorcerer slammed into the side of the large dome as golden chains encircled him holding him in place.

"BOY WONDER YOU ARE MINE!" a loud deep voice said in a remarkable imitation of Nabu. Then there was a cackle of crazed mirth Swift turned and saw the Joker rush at her partner.

Robin landed a quick hit before ducking a quick stab attack to the eye. Swift came up behind but her foot accidently splashed in the water. The Joker heard her and using his peripheral vision aimed a deadly swipe, which she only managed to dodge just in time. She winced slightly as a tiny cut appeared on the bridge of her nose.

She stumbled backwards into Robin and they panted.

The Joker looked on the two of them his insane smile widening. "Always wanted to carve these birds" he hissed.

Robin and Swift were forced to separate again as the madman lunged at the two of them aiming randomised swipes at whichever bird he could reach. For that was the Joker's forte, improvisation. IT was what ultimately made him the polar opposite of Batman, Robin and Swift who all were planned methodical thinkers. His chaos just made things even more difficult to handle.

Robin dodged another slice and flipped into a tree, much to Swift's chagrin. She'd been banking on Robin distracting the Joker long enough for her to land a knockout blow. Now the chance was blown and with the sudden disappearance of his opponent, the clown turned upon the girl wonder, who fell onto her face as one of Poison Ivy's plants shifted beneath her feet under the muddy water.

Swift tried to get to her feet but a gloved hand and a purple sleeve snatched at the roots of her hair.

"AHH"

"Ohh! Goody. Looks like I get to play with Bat-daddy's little princess" the Joker licked out a knife from his pocket. He cackled wildly as he licked his red lips. She reeled back in revulsion and horror as he leaned in, slowly, tantalisingly tracing her face with the knife's tip.

Something sharp, black and metallic whirred in-between the Clown prince and his prey, barely missing the pasty white nose. With a loud ting sound the knife flew out of his hands and lodged itself in a tree trunk.

Swift saw her chance and kicked, sweeping the clowns legs from right under him. At the same moment Robin's booted foot came smashing through, right into the clown's long nose.

There was a sickening crunch as the Joker fell to the muddy ground. Swift scuttled away from his body grabbing her partner's hands as he helped pull her to her feet.

"You alright?" he asked under his breath.

"Yeah" Swift replied shakily. Robin squeezed her hand momentarily before letting go as their opponent got to his fee. He panted heavily but froze as something large moved behind him in the shadows. He wheeled around.

Swift and Robin couldn't help the smiles of relief when they saw the Batman jump down from a green energy platform to face them. The white slits in the cowl were narrowed and his body was geared as if to spring into a predators pounce.

The Joker backed away from his nemesis smiling nervously as he joined the other Injustice League members, who seemed to have been corralled by the other members of the Justice League.

Batman stepped past his sidekicks wordlessly and stood in front of them in a very still but protective stance.

"It's over"

Swift was pleased to see Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo shudder as his glared hardened on the group of super villains. They all put their hands up in surrender.

"There will be another day" Count Vertigo growled under his breath.

"Another day? Another DAY!" Joker cried out suddenly. Everyone jumped. Unlike the others Joker had not put his hands up. He snarled at the Batman. "There won't be another day! Not for any of us! Ahahahahah!"

He cackled raising his hands above his head. The palms of his gloves glowed. There was a great gurgle from under the swampy grounds as slowly giant vines of te plant arose, like the tentacles of a giant octopus.

Swift watched in mounting horror as the red buds that dotted the surface of the vines exploded in a mist of green.

"Joker Venom spores! Don't breath!" Batman called out. He swooped in and clocked the Joker across the jaw, knocking him out hard.

Swift put her mouth mask on as Robin grabbed her to hide under his cloak. She could feel his heart's beats match her own panicking ones as he held her tight against him with one arm. They both took a deep breath and held their free hands over their mouths and noses.

"Fear not!" came a loud declaration from high above. Swift looked up, her cheeks bulging as she held back the breath she so desperately wanted to release. Nabu in Aqualad's body was above them. He summoned up a golden symbol in the air above him. With a large sucking sound all the spores around them swooshed up towards him, but instead of engulfing him like normal, it was sucked into the symbol like a vacuum.

Swift watched in amazement as the last of the green smog was absorbed before the symbol disappeared into the air.

"Fate has intervened!"

Swift took her hand away from her mouth and gulped down a huge breath.

"Phew" she turned her head and saw Robin grinning at her.

**_Fifteen minutes later_ **

"What were you thinking?!" Wally yelled at them all, striding over to Aqualad in Doctor Fate's uniform. The team looked on still in shock as Batman, Zatara and Captain Marvel stood by quietly, watching Wally's rant.

"How could you let him put on the helmet! Nabu will never release him now…Kaldur will be trapped inside Dr Fate…forever"

There was a pause in which Dr Fate stared blankly at Wally. Swift might've laughed, but she did not. Instead she buried her face into Robin's shoulder as he squeezed her into his side consolingly.

Kaldur, their team leader, their friend…would be gone…eternally

Dr. Fate then turned his blank stare on all of them and lifted his hands to the helmet.

There was a flash of golden light. Swift looked up from her spot and saw the tall dark skinned form of Aqualad in his stealth gear, holding onto the helmet and smiling softly.

Everyone stood in shock but Kid Flash rushed forwards.

"Nabu let you go?"

"He almost did not" Aqualad sighed. It was a relief to hear his voice back to normal. "But your friend Kent was most helpful. He says hello"

Everyone grinned about to rush forwards and greet their friend, but Batman cleared his throat. Their faces fell slightly as they turned to him.

"We're done here. The super secret villain society has been neutralized. As for your performance" his eyes roved over their nervous faces and inwardly he smirked "It was satisfactory"

Everyone grinned again.

* * *

**The Batcave, October 1 2010, 23:56**

"Wahoo! Home Sweet Home!" Swift whooped,

"You can say that again!" Robin cried out behind her.

"We kicked plant butt" She accentuated the phrase with a punch to the air as she jumped out of the Batplane.

"We kicked super villain butt" Robin tore off his mask dramatically, becoming Dick once more. "We are so awsum"

"That we are wonder boy!" Swift laughed as she too tore off her mask.

Batman shook his head fondly as he stepped out behind them. They had not stopped rambling about their mission since they'd gotten in the plane at the Bayou. He caught Alfred's eye as the old butler came down the stairs to greet them, pushing a trolley laden with three mugs of hot chocolate.

"I take it yours and the young Miss and Masters mission was a marvellous success Master Bruce?"

"Indeed it was" Bruce sighed, pulling down the cowl and taking a mug. The two men watched as Dick flipped from the top of the stairs and tackled his partner into a hug from behind.

"Silly boy what are you doing?"Christine giggled as Dick held her close, his arms around her waist and her back to his chest.

"We should get your nose patched up" he murmured eyeing the spot where the Joker's knife had scraped her. It was still bleeding a little but not too much.

"Dick it's just a small scratch" Christine huffed.

"So stubborn" Dick rolled his eyes as he lifted a hand to tilt her face towards his own. He was close enough to see not just the scratch on her nose but every lash around her round almond shaped purple eyes.

He felt the heat rise to his cheeks when he caught a glimpse of her teeth as she bit her lip nervously, also blushing.

"And yet so darn cute?" he muttered. Then he froze.

_Shit! Did I just…_

A dark shadow loomed over the two of them and they both looked up. Dick gulped.

"It's been a long night. You two, hit the showers and go to bed" Bruce's face was very strained as was his voice.

Christine and Dick jumped apart at once nodding profusely. They both scarpered off out of the cave, with barely a word.

Behind his charge, Alfred watched until the two adolescents were out of sight before mumbling under his breath.

"Well the boy certainly has guts"

"What?" Bruce wheeled round to face his butler who tried to hide his smirk.

"Oh, nothing, Master Bruce" he replied airily picking up the discarded masks from the floor.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Bruce sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation.

"Picking up after my young charges? Yes I daresay I do." The older man raised his eyebrows sarcastically placing the masks on the trolley "Honestly Master Bruce, I don't know why you're so upset. You're the one who brought them together as partners in the first place."

He paused to watch the effect these words had on his master who squirmed uncomfortably.

"That may be" Bruce finally grumbled "But I never planned for…whatever this is, to happen"

Alfred sighed "Nobody can plan when love shall spring. Nor can they foresee whom they shall choose to love. All that they will know is that what they feel for the other will be the most real thing they have ever experienced."

"Who said that?" the Dark Knight took a sip. It wasn't uncommon for Alfred to quote hundreds of famous phrases from people or from books, but Bruce had never heard this one before.

The old man quirked an eyebrow. "I did. Just now."


	17. Episode 15: Humanity/Instability

**?, October 10 2010, ?**

"Is it ready?"

"Yes Mam."

"Good, it's time for the first test."

"Yes mam…but may I be so pertinent as to ask why we are financing Mr. Morrow's projects. How will his success benefit our schemes?"

"HA! And here I was thinking you had no sense of humour! His success? It's only his "success" because we allow him to think it is so. That scientist is so damn proud that he conveniently forgot that the volcanic base was our idea! And as for benefits…I think we will be very well rewarded...at least I shall be…"

"Mam?"

"Leave! Now!"

"As you wish"

_Kreeeaak…Clack!_

….

"It's been a long time my little swiftlet…let's see if you can still scream like you used to?"

_Click._

_…_

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep…_

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 10 2010, 03:33 EDT**

_Tap tap!_

A bright blue eye opened blearily

Now it is common fact that Dick Grayson was an early bird, but even three in the morning was pushing his limits.

 _Tap tap!_  They knocked again.

"Who is it?" Dick groaned, scowling foully. If it was Wally coming in to prank him again, he had another thing coming.

"Dick" a small feminine voice that defiantly did not belong to his best  **male**  friend hissed through the door. "Dick please open up"

Dick wiggled his feet out of the warm confines of his comforter and shuffled over to the door.

He swung it open, to reveal a blurry girl with messy brown hair wearing a Wonder Woman tank top with black track pants.

"Don't feel so good. Major headache." Christine leaned against the door frame.

"Come in" Dick yawned as he stood aside to let her pass.

She stumbled almost losing her footing, but Dick caught her and dragged her to his bed. He sat her down and turned on the lamp on his bedside table.

"Ah! Too bright" She muttered trying to turn her face away but Dick gripped her chin and held her steady. She really did not look well at all. Her skin was very pale and she winced at the sight of the light. He racked his brain for the rudimentary medical knowledge that Batman had drilled into him.

"Where does it hurt? Is the pain on one side?"

Christine nodded and pointed to the right side of her head.

"Have you taken some pain killers?"

"I did but nothing's worked. Dick please turn the light off" she groaned leaning into him.

Dick wrapped an arm around her and shut off the light, plunging the two of them into darkness.

"Better?"

"Yeah"

Christine felt the cold air as Dick pulled away and quickly grabbed at his shirt. There was a loud ripping sound as stitching came undone.

"Whoa! Easy there tiger!" Dick chuckled feeling her fingers dig into torn material over his shoulder. Feeling his way with his hands he tore the rest of what was once his T-shirt sleeve off.

"If you wanted me to tear off my clothes you could've just asked"

"You are an idiot you know that?" Christine rolled her eyes as she crawled over to the other side of the mattress.

Dick shrugged, grinning smugly "What can I say. I an idiot of many talents"

"…and modesty is  _certainly_  one of them…and as for stripping it's not going to work"

"You're right…" She couldn't see his face but could hear the leisurely smirk in his gruff sleepy voice. "Stripping won't work in this light"

The lamp light suddenly flickered on. Christine winced for a moment but thankfully Dick's body shifted to block out most of the direct light.

She couldn't help but watch as he pulled his shirt up over his head slowly, struggling a bit with pulling his head out of the collar. One half of his body was silhouetted against the back light however the other was lit up so brightly that the contours of his muscles were highlighted. Her eyes followed the contours of his abs following their chiselled lines until she saw his bare hipbone. She blushed hard as she realised that his pants were hanging loose and turned her head back into the pillow just as finally tugged his head out of his shirt collar

He grinned down on her, eyeing her really red ears. "So?"

"So what?" she countered rolling away from him again as he crawled over to her.

"Come on admit it Girl Wonder. You liked my little show" He poked her cheek.

"What show? I did not see anything" but he saw her pink blush and snickered still poking her cheek.

She rolled back onto her back and glared up at him and he pulled his hands up innocently "What can I say? I'm the Boy Wonder; the ladies just cannot resist my charm."

Christine winced as her forehead throbbed painfully again.

"You want me to turn off the light again?" Dick's smile softened as he stroked a lock of hair out of her face.

"Yes" she mumbled closing her eyes. His touch was gentle. It always amazed her how quickly he could change from playful and flirting to calm and caring. She relaxed when she heard the click of the lamp switching off and slowly pulled herself under the warm comforter.

There was the rustling and tugging of sheets as her partner hopped in beside her. She felt him wriggle closer to her back and smiled as he wrapped his arms around her middle.

That was another thing that she found amusing about Dick. He always loved close physical contact with other people; from high fives to play fighting to hugs. Not that Christine would complain. Though she always tried to be calm and collected like Bruce, she did like feeling close to people. It wasn't like Bruce wasn't a caring father, but he did like keeping his distance. She could barely remember the last time he'd ever actually initiated a normal hug and that had been a brief one a year ago, when he'd managed to rescue her from the deadly clutches of the Two Face. Though the injuries he had inflicted upon her back then were painful they seemed small in comparison to this god almighty migraine.

Something warm pressed against her throbbing temple and she stiffened slightly.

"If you feel any worse, wake me up and I'll get Dinah ok?" Dick muttered against the spot where his lips had touched.

Christine just nodded, unable to speak as she felt his lips against her head again. As he snuggled into her hair she felt her headache lessen ever so slightly.

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 10 2010, 16:58 EDT**

Swift leapt out of the way as Superboy aimed a punch. He was getting better at his sparring, starting to think ahead rather than just solely rely on his animal impulse. But Swift was still the Batman's protégé. She ducked under his arm and aimed a sharp punch to his ribs.

Superboy winced as her little knuckle jabbed in-between a pair of his ribs, and stepped to the side grabbing her arm and pulling her into a gentle lock.

"Not bad -AHAHAHAHAHA!" Swift burst out laughing as his large fingers swiped against her ribs quickly.

She felt a lot better since that morning. The team had allowed her to sleep in till midday when her migraine had gone and after a decent meal and a shower she was fighting fit and pumped.

"Conner! Ahahahaha! Stop!" she gasped trying to wriggle out of Superboy's hold.

"No way" the clone smirked shifting his hand to ruffle her hair.

There was a chuckle as a blonde woman in a black leotard and grey stockings strode over to them.

"Alright you two that's quite enough, you're supposed to be sparring not tickling" Black Canary then turned to look at the others as they lunged at each other. Aqualad was against Miss Martian and Artemis was matched with Robin. A little bit away Wally reclined in a comfy arm chair with a glass of pineapple juice in his hand watching them smugly.

He grinned and waved at Black Canary as she strode past him.

"Good work everyone" She gave them all a small smile before going over to stand in the midst of their training exercise. They all stopped and walked over to her.

"In fact it's been a very productive week"

"Yeah. For everyone except Kid Malingerer" Artemis smirked gesturing towards the speedster as he took a noisy sip of his juice.

"Hey! Arm broken in combat against the evil Injustice League here" Wally groaned waving the cast.

Swift and Black Canary both exchanged amused glances, the latter shaking her head.

"I've really enjoyed being your uh… den mother this week"

**_Recognised Zatara 11_ **

Swift's eyebrows rose as the magician stepped out of the portal and quickly summoned a holograph. After a moment of typing the zeta tube opened again.

**_Access Granted: Zatanna Zatara A03. Authorization Zatara_ **

"Oh!" Swift nodded in realisation as the tube whirred into action again.

"What?" Robin looked at her in surprise.

"It's his daughter" She whispered

"And how would you know tha-" but he broke off as the figure of the young girl stepped out. Zatara looked at the team.

"Zatanna this is the team. Team this is my daughter Zatanna"

"Well she seems nice" Swift muttered into Robin's ear.

He nodded once. True Zatanna was cute. She had thick raven black hair and light blue eyes. She was dressed in a white shirt with a black camisole, a dark blue skirt, knee high socks and black shoes. She looked rather thin and coltish, not like Swift who was already more developed and…

Robin gulped as the memory of stripping in front of his partner that morning popped through his head. He remembered her eyes on his body and felt his face burn. It had seemed funny at the time but in hindsight he wondered why had he done that in the first place? Then he wondered what it would've been like if their roles had been reversed…

Swift glanced at him quickly, but he kept his eyes dead focused on the other girl in front of him.

Miss Martian excitedly flew over their heads to greet Zatanna

"Hi I'm-"

"Robin!" the Robin jumped in front of the Martian girl who jumped back surprised.

_Have to act natural! Have to be normal. What did I say earlier? Oh yeah that's right. I'm the charming Boy Wonder. Charming being key._

"I mean I'm Robin. She is M'gann. And this is Wally, Artemis, Kaldur, Conner and Swift…my partner" Robin gave as charming a smile as he could but it looked a little like he had toothache.

"Welcome to the cave" Aqualad nodded.

"Uh, thanks" Zatanna smiled shyly.

"So are y-y-y-y-you joining the team" Robin finished softly trying to ignore the narrowed eyes of his partner that bored into the back of his head. He just hoped she couldn't sense his nerves.

_Strange… since when did Robin ever stutter?_

She quickly relaxed her posture as Zatanna peered around to look at her curiously as her father addressed Black Canary. She gave a small wave.

Zatanna waved back nervously.

_Do the rest of you still get the feeling that we're still on probation with Zatara?_

Miss Martian's voice asked through the mental link.

 _Not just Zatara, I mean why is Marvel still hanging around_  Superboy unfolded his arms and gestured towards the direction of the kitchen. Obviously he could hear the leaguer inside.

 _Because we like having him around_  Wally smirked.

 ** _You_** _like having him around because he waits on you hand and foot_ Artemis narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

 _And your point is?_ Wally raised his eyebrows obviously gearing for another argument.

 _Oh god do the two of you ever stop bickering?_ Swift rolled her eyes.

 _It almost makes one nostalgic for Red Tornado's term here as our supervisor_  Aqualad agreed.

 _Yeah! At least he trusted us_  Robin folded his arms and pouted

Superboy glared at him

 _If you ignore the fact that we shouldn't have trusted him! He was a traitor! That machine nearly got M-all of us killed_!

 _Conner calm down! It's ok now._  Swift put a gentle hand on his shoulder. The furious look softened considerably.

"Are you guys having a psychic conversation?" Everyone turned as Zatanna stepped forwards into their midst "Cause I can't decide if that's really cool…or really rude"

There was a very tense pause as the entire team looked pointedly at Black Canary.

"Alright Fine!" Conner snapped and the two adults immediately tensed "We were talking about Tornado. It's been weeks since his attack and the League hasn't told us anything"

Canary sighed.

"The League is searching for Tornado, as well as the other androids that attacked the cave and T.O. Morrow, Batman has made tracking them down our highest priority"

"But you've found none of the above." Robin cried out.

"Not yet" Black Canary stepped forwards "But Tornado is Justice League. The team is NOT to pursue this"

"Of course we aren't!" Swift rolled her eyes. Canary raised an eyebrow at the girl but she just snorted and looked away. A cold gust of wind passed them all and they shivered.

Zatara stepped forwards quickly.

"Why don't you all take Zatanna on a…uh…tour of the cave" he finished lamely looking around at them all.

Zatanna wasn't with them.

There was a small whine and they all turned to see the girl sitting with Wolf on the floor.

"Ah! You're giving a tour? Cool" Captain Marvel strode into the room carrying a large plate with a whole heap of Nacho's covered in cheese, sour cream and dips.

"Actually I was hoping you could take Wolf outside" Superboy watched as Wolf immediately came up to the leaguer looking at the plate with big round eyes "He needs the exercise. We'll join you in a few"

"Sure sure! I can do that. Come on Wolf" Captain Marvel and Wolf both ran outside the latter panting with delight at the prospect of a walk and food both together.

"My-my Nacho's" Wally whined as Swift grabbed him by the shirt to follow the others as they headed to the common room.

As soon as they were out of ear and eye shot of Black Canary and Zatara Swift let him go.

"When this is over I promise you Wally I will give you the most gigantic plate of Nachos you will ever see or eat."

Wally's despondent look immediately split into a wide goofy smile.

"Babe you're the best"

They both turned to see Artemis rolling their eyes at the speedster.

"Argh!" Swift winced a little and rubbed her temple.

"The headache again?" Wally rubbed her shoulder soothingly as she nodded.

"Yeah…but it's ok. I took the last painkiller several hours ago so I'll take one before we go and I should be tip top"

"Even so just take it easy today ok?" Wally grinned. Swift noticed through the corner of her eye that Artemis's scowl softened slightly upon seeing the mature side of the speedster come to the surface.

Swift smirked as she ran up to catch up with Robin, who was walking with Zatanna. The girl seemed to have changed into a purple top and beige pants within two seconds. She looked at Swift and sighed.

"We aren't really taking a tour are we?"

Superboy and Aqualad both stopped ahead of them all and turned frowning.

"No! We're hunting down that robot" Superboy clenched his fist on the last word.

"Yes. We are." Aqualad nodded.

"Oh wow. Out loud and everything" Zatanna's eyebrows rose as she saw their determined faces.

"uh…What about new girl?" Artemis looked a little nervously at Robin.

He shrugged.

"I'm sure she won't tell"

"I can't tell." Zatanna smiled slyly "Not if you kidnap me" she batted her eyelashes at Robin who flushed pink. Swift snorted under her breath.

_And we have another one to add to the growing list of Dick Grayson's conquests. Yeash!_

"Oh she's gonna fit in great" Artemis smiled as the team decided to walk around the corner towards the direction of the hanger. Swift hung back and when Conner looked back on her very worried she smiled.

"I'm just getting some pain killers to take with me. I'll meet you guys at the ship"

"ok" he mumbled but Swift saw that he found it difficult to turn away. Once he and the others were safely around she allowed herself to stumble back into the kitchen counter.

She gulped a huge breath down as the temple corridor materialised around her. She huffed in irritation.

_Great this place again._

How many times had she been here? Twenty? Fifty? But something felt very different about this moment. Then something, like a long thin knife brushed past the shell of her ear.

" _It's been a long time my little swiftlet_ "

Swift froze. She'd never heard anything quite like the voice in her life. It was soft like a hiss and chilled the blood like ice.

" _let's see if you can still scream like you used to?_ "

Swift grunted in pain as the temple disappeared and she saw flashing in front of her eyes, a mountain, not Mount Justice but still very tall and resolute. The rocks gleamed brightly as red molten rock spewed from the top coating the sides. The earth beneath it shook tremendously as the sky above was blotted out by dark smoke plunging the earth into darkness.

"Swift!"

Swift blinked. The volcano vanished. She was still in the common room, her teammates and Zatanna all gone. No wait, not all of them had gone. That was Robin's glove waving in front of her face right now.

"Sorry. Just…just got lost in thought." She slid her own gloved hand across her brow and it was instantly soaked in her sweat. She was surprised to see that she was still standing. Usually she fainted whenever she saw a vision.

_My body must be getting used to the stress_

She quickly snatched the packet of pills, which had actually been lying on the counter the entire time.

"Where is everyone?"

"They've gone to show Zatanna the Bio ship." Dick pressed his hand against her forehead. It was defiantly warmer than normal "are you sure you're feeling ok?"

"I'm fine! I've got the meds. Why? Do you wanna ditch me here while you  _charm_  the pants off Miss Magic?" Swift snorted but Robin's frown deepened.

"I'm serious" he hissed "Whatever is happening to you it's…taking its toll and it's taking it real bad. Just don't overdo it."

Robin's gloved hand was cool against her forehead and she wished that it would stay there. But as soon as the thought crossed her mind it shifted to her cheek.

"Dick, it's just a migraine. Yes it hurts like shit but I can still look after myself." She wasn't snapping at him but her tone was firm as she touched the upheld wrist.

"I know it's just…I just don't want anything bad to happen to you…that's all" Robin whispered.

The expression on his face was somewhere between fear, worry and sorrow. She shut her eyes gently and leaned into his hand.

"Alright how about this, I'll stay in the Bio ship and man the coms when we go out. I won't go on the front lines unless there is an emergency."

"No you will call the league if it is an emergency and stay in the ship" Robin's quirked an eyebrow and Swift rolled her eyes.

"Dick-" but she stopped abruptly as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Christine…please?" She could feel his hands shaking as they looped around her waist. He really seemed genuinely scared this time.

"…alright I'll call the league…" she huffed bringing her own arms around his neck. "But you've gotta promise me that you'll be careful too"

"Pff 'course I will! It's not like we're going out to find a lost dog or sumthin. It's a league member we're after a big gu-"

"I mean, be careful with Zatanna" Swift raised her eyebrows "I know she's no Nora but still, her dad's a league member AND she's also a magician herself so don't you go too far with the flirting ok?"

He pulled a little away so he could look into her face smirking.

"What would I do without you?"

"A lot of stupid things" she smiled. Robin chuckled and held her slightly closer to him.

"Whoa"

Robin and Swift both turned their heads sharply to see Kid Flash and Artemis standing next to the couch, staring at the two of them.

"Oh hey… Wally… Artemis…" Robin gulped nervously.

The archer's eyes were wide like saucers but the speedster was looking positively smug.

"Do you two need a moment?"

"No!" Robin and Swift both yelled in unison as they let go of each other, blushing scarlet. After a minute of brushing imaginary dust from her uniform Swift asked airily,

"Is everything set to go?"

"Yep" Artemis popped the p as she too grinned. "M'gann's got the ship ready and New Girl's strapped in"

"Is Kaldur with her?" Swift looked at Wally who nodded.

"He's waiting for you to meet him in the back of the ship. He wants to go over the mission parameters with you while the rest of us," he pointed to himself, Artemis and Robin "create a distraction for Canary and Zatara"

"Good, the last thing I-we need are more molly coddling adults telling us what to do"

The other three exchanged worried glances.

"Are you talking about Canary or Batma-" Artemis started but Swift glared at her so darkly that she clamped her mouth shut at once.

"Does it really matter which adult? They're going to try to stop us finding Tornado anyhow" she clenched her fist irritated as another wave of pain flashed across her head. She took a deep shuddering breath.

"Let's go. We've got a robot to dismantle"

* * *

Swift leaned back in her chair looking out her window seat. She narrowed her eyes as she caught the faded reflection in the glass of Aqualad on the opposite end. He looked very grim and very tense and she was in no doubt why. It seemed the term "little discussion" was now a new code for everyone to tell her to stay put and rest up like a little child. She knew they were worried about her but couldn't they trust her to look after herself. She'd managed to do that just fine before any of them were a team so what difference would it really make?

Swift turned away from the reflection as she saw the Atlantian look anxiously at her. Instead she chose to focus on Zatanna and Robin who were both sitting in front of her flirting constantly.

Swift was grateful they weren't paying attention to her because she rolled her eyes. She could only hope that her partner didn't end up hurting himself like he did the last one. What was her name again…Irene? No that was the second one; the last and third one was Nora, a pretty girl who'd seemed nice…until she dumped him for another guy. It was sad. Robin had actually quite liked Nora but as Alfred said such is life.

Behind her at the helm Miss Martian bit her lip as she eyed Swift's unusually pale complexion.

_She still looks really sick_

She turned to look at Aqualad who sighed softly.

_I know. Robin already talked her into manning the coms from here in the ship, but I do not wish to upset her further by forcing her into staying behind at the cave._

_What if we call Batman and tell-_

Artemis chimed in hopefully but Kid Flash cut across her firmly.

_No! If we call Bats he'll figure out what we're doing and bench us all._

_Then Wonder Woman or Superman-_

Miss Martian suggested hopefully but Superboy shook his head.

_NO!_ _**He'd** _ _probably tell Batman and we'd still get in trouble._

_Is he still not talking to you?_

Miss Martian asked worriedly as she picked up the venom in her boyfriend's tone.

_I don't want to talk about it._

Superboy's scowled darkly.

_Conner seriously it's bad enough that Swift and Batman can glare like that._

Kid Flash shuddered. Artemis snorted and he turned to glare at her.

_What are you snickering about?_

_I'm not snickering_

She snapped folding her arms.

_It's just that finally we seem to agree on something._

Kid stiffened in shock. Well he had certainly not expected that kind of response.

There was a beeping sound and Black Canary's suspicious voice issued through the communicator.

" _M'gann. The Bio ship was not authorised for departure"_

"We're kidnapping Zatanna" Miss Martian squeaked in surprise and received the psychic equivalent of an elbow to the ribs through the mental link. "To show her Happy Harbour. Be back soon."

There was a very tense pause as they waited for the Leaguer to answer them.

"R _oger that…have fun_ " there was a beep as Black Canary shut off the com link from her end.

Everyone sighed in relief. Robin swivelled his chair around to face his teammates.

"So where are we going? Batman is the world's greatest detective and he's searched for Tornado and Morrow in every possible location"

"Not completely true Robin" Swift sunk back into her chair and stared at the ceiling "Batman has only searched in every  **logical** location."

"So if we're gonna do better we're going to have to have an illogical solution. A truly dumb idea" Robin nodded in comprehension

"Yep and that's pretty easy to find" Swift smirked as she turned around in her seat. The others followed her gaze expectantly only to lay eyes on…Kid Flash gazing out a window grinning.

He caught their glances and swallowed nervously.

"As a matter of fact…"

* * *

**Belle Reve, October 10 2010, 18:35 EDT**

The Team and Zatanna all stood in front of a table from which a small old middle aged man sat behind. He glared with narrowed eyes at the three especially at Swift as she leaned against a wall, arms folded, the white slits of her mask narrowed directly at him studying his facial cues.

_He's going to be a tough one to crack_

She notified the team through the mental link.

_Nonetheless we have to try_

Aqualad glanced at her as Miss Martian leaned over the table, all her usual sweet perkiness replaced instead with a nasty glare

"Warden Strange owed us a favour for stopping last month's prison break. He's given us five minutes with  **you**."

"Spill it Ivo!" Superboy cried out angrily "How do we find T.O. Morrow and his Reds?"

"Now why in the world would I know how to find Morrow?" Ivo gave Superboy a very bored look.

"Because, and here's a very dumb idea" Kid Flash stepped forwards "You're Morrow's biggest competitor in the evil android game. Who better could keep track of what he's up to and where?"

"Ah I see your point. So let me rephrase" Ivo twiddled his thumbs amusedly as he leant forwards in his chair. "Why in the world would I tell you how to find Morrow?"

"Maybe I could help you figure that out?" Swift cracked her knuckles threateningly making the man in the chair shrink back in fear. Aqualad stepped forwards quickly.

"He knows. Do what you must" he said to Miss Martian before shooting Swift a warning look that he usually spared for Kid Flash and Artemis whenever the two of them bickered. Swift scowled at him and folded her arms as she watched Miss Martian's eyes glow green.

Ivo leant back in his chair and laughed. "Oh please! As if I've never faced a telepath before"

He turned to look to his side and at once Zatanna was there she leant over the table scowling and a string of what seemed like gibberish spewed out of her mouth though Swift immediately translated it in her head.

"Trulb tuo S'worrom eurt noitacol! [blurt out Morrow's true location!]"

And it happened again, Swift saw for the smallest of moments a wisp of white slip from Zatanna's mouth and right into Ivo's ear.

Instantly the man went rigid and he spoke in a fast monotone. "Morrow's in a secret underground base beneath Yellowstone national park one hundred meters south of Old Faithful"

Everyone's eyes were wide like saucers, including Ivo himself. "W-wait what just happened?" he clamped a hand over his mouth in horror. Zatanna straightened up smirking smugly as she went back to stand next to Robin. She winked playfully at his shocked face.

A few moments later, the guards came in to take a still very shocked Ivo back to his cell and the team made their way back to the ship. Robin was talking animatedly to Zatanna about what she just did.

_Pff, give me two minutes alone with him and I would've gotten the truth out of him and more just as fast. But then again she's shiny and new to him and I'm…I'm just…old…broken…_

Swift turned away to look at the walls trying to ignore the sound of the quiet flirty giggles, unaware that she was being watched carefully by Aqualad.

He frowned slightly as he watched his friend thinking hard as she leaned against the wall. Her skin was paler than ever, and despite how she tried to hide it her body was shaking slightly from having to hold herself up. He clenched his fist. He knew she was Batman's protégé but still…was it so difficult for her to trust them to help her when she was suffering? Weren't they friends.

But then Aqualad saw her narrow her eyes as Robin blushed and grinned goofily at Zatanna.

Of course! How could he have been so stupid?

He saw Zatanna sidle closer to Robin as they hopped onto the Bio Ship and he frowned.

This wasn't right. Aqualad was team leader but Robin was her partner. How could he even think of flirting with another girl when his supposed sister figure was suffering before his very eyes. He caught Kid Flash's eye and the speedster nodded sending a disapproving glare to the back of his best friends head.

Aqualad sighed before clearing his throat loudly, turning to Miss Martian.

"Lock out all external communication. Black Canary, Zatara, Batman too I imagine will know of our…visit with Professor Ivo. We haven't much time"

"look I'm trying to be all nonchalant here" Robin looked at Zatanna who turned back to him smirking.

"Why? Be as chalant as you like"

Oh if ever there was a time Kid felt ready to punch his best friend it was now! But he chose not to act on that impulse. He waited Robin would probably block him anyway. Instead he chose a different approach. He forced a grin on his face and strode over to grab Robin's arm

"Hey Rob! I need to have a word with you. Thanks!" he didn't even wait for the younger boy's answer as he dragged him to the back of the ship. Miss Martian quickly set up a wall behind them to give them both some privacy as Zatanna began explaining her powers to the others.

Swift leant back and closed her eyes as the sounds of her friends voices turned into pleasant drones. She peeled off her mouth and eye masks relishing in the cool relief that washed over her face like a wave. She could hear Aqualad talking in the distance and Conner grunting moodily. Then there was a tapping sound behind her. She swivelled her seat around just as Robin's voice called through the makeshift wall.

"M'gann we're done in here can you open up?"

"Ok" Miss Martian called cheerfully and the wall slid down into the floor again.

Kid leant in to whisper in Robin's ear. "This conversation is so  **not**  over"

Robin winced as his best friend pinched his arm with his good hand. He glared after the speedster before looking over at Swift who had turned back round to face the front. Her pale skin was gleaming with sweat and her eyes had dark circles under them. He walked over to her, passing Zatanna who batted her eyes at him again.

He flashed a quick smile at her but Swift could see that it didn't really reach his eyes like before. She frowned what had he and Kid been talking about that had made him so serious?

Swift cracked open her other eye as he knelt beside her chair.

"Hey" She smiled at him, hoping that she didn't look like a train wreck.

"Hey" he murmured quietly stroking the hair out of her face "How're you feeling?"

"Lousy." Swift groaned.

"Here" Robin pulled out an ice pack he'd retrieved from the back and placed it on her head. She sighed as the cold seeped into her throbbing head.

"Better?"

"Much better" she sank a little further in her seat.

"Good." He motioned to Miss Martian at the helm. She nodded and morphed Swift's chair into a bench which Robin sat himself down beside her. She immediately leaned into his side and whispered.

"I know I'm sick but you don't have to feel compelled to sit next to me? You can go sit with Zatanna if you want"

"Do you want me to sit with her?" Robin grumbled.

"No" she blurted out quickly "I-I mean. Just stay here ok?!"

Robin's eyes widened as he saw a pink blush flash across her face. She wanted him to stay. No scratch that, she didn't want him to sit next to Zatanna. Was she jealous? And if so did this mean she…

"Ok Missy. I'll stay" He grinned widely like a child on Christmas morning as he too leaned back in his seat catching a glimpse of Wally's smug face.

He glowered as the speedster mouthed. "told you so"

* * *

**Yellowstone National Park, October 10 2010, 20:22 MDT**

Swift was sleeping when the Bio ship gave a slight thud. With a small cry she fell into her partner, who in turn fell onto the floor.

"Owww…" they both groaned as Kid Flash and Superboy helped them both up, the latter cradling Swift in his arms like one would a kitten.

"Thank's Conner" Swift mumbled as he settled her back onto the bench. "are we here already?"

"Yes. Are you sure you want to man the ship on your own?" Aqualad walked towards her.

Swift sighed "you bunch of worry warts, yes Kal I'll be fine. Just make sure to keep in telepathic contact. I'll try and keep track of the area with the computers and co-ordinate you guys along the right path."

"Very well but if you feel worse, find a safe spot and rest. Robin will take your place as co-ordinator until you are ready to come back to the computers. If things get out of hand-"

"Contact the league, I know" Swift huffed rolling her eyes "Sheash! You're beginning to sound like Batman now"

"I'll take that as a compliment" Aqualad smirked before turning to the rest of the team who were waiting patiently for instruction "Stealth mode" he announced.

Everyone besides Robin, Superboy, Zatanna and Swift all pressed their insignias and their outfits turned darker

Everyone, including Zatanna who'd magically changed clothes again, turned to leave but Robin stayed behind.

"I'll come in a few!" He called as the others ran outside.

Swift was just walking up to the helm when Robin swooped in on her. "Robin what-"

Her heart almost stopped as he leaned into her and pressed his lips against her cheek.

"Stay safe" he whispered into her ear. Swift blinked but he'd ninja stepped out of sight.

She touched a hand to her burning cheek.

_Why did he…_

She was so distracted that she didn't feel the wind nudge her urgently until…

"Enjoying yourself my little swiftlet?" a cold voice hissed in her ear.

Swift froze all elation evaporating on the spot. She turned around slowly.

There in the shadows of the ship's stern was the tall slim figure of a woman in a seductive scarlet satin dress.

"What are you doing here?" she breathed.

"Such an intelligent question for such an intelligent child" The woman chuckled mockingly and folded her arms.

"What do you want?" Swift shuddered as she caught the glimpse of a tattoo on the pale bare wrist in the shape of a stylistic red backed spider.

"To have a little fun" The woman's face was hidden in the shadows, but Swift could still feel her sinister sneer.

"Whatever you're planning... You-You- You better leave my friends out of it or-or-"

"Or what? You can't even speak to me without stuttering in fear. You're pathetic, always have been and always will be" The woman snorted as she pulled out a lighter from inside the bosom of her dress.

"I'm stronger than you think"

"Oh really" She clicked it and a small flame flickered to life briefly illuminating the short platinum blonde hair, high cheekbones and hazel eyes. "Because I was under the impression that I gave birth to a helpless whelp. Or is that just an act to keep your Daddy and bird boyfriend to protect you? If it is then let's just say it's beginning to get old fast"

"Stop" Swift clenched her eyes shut.

"I'm telling you this for your own good. Face it Christine. That boy only kissed you out of pity. He doesn't want you. He wants that Zatanna girl. Why he's probably flirting with her right now as we speak. He's glad he's left you behind"

"I said stop it!"

"You're just an easy thing for him to fling around and believe me once he's done with you he will."

"Stop!" Swift's eyes felt hot as tears began to form.

"Just like your father did to you"

"SHUT UP!" Swift screeched lunging forwards.

"Three. Two. One." Her mother sighed in a bored fashion as she counted down on her fingers.

Christine had her hands outstretched ready to seize the woman's throat as a tremendous amount of pain burst from her skull. She fell to the floor agony flooding through her body like violent electric shocks.

Her mother looked down on her intrigued "So you really can feel it?"

Swift choked as she tried to gasp for air. Her mind's eye flashed and she saw again the hot volcano smouldering but this time the sensations were more intense, and she could actually feel the earth shaking beneath her. No scratch that, it was shaking beneath her.

She now noticed too that the winds that blew past her were scorching hot and carrying the smell of ash and sulphur. She looked up and out of the windows at  
the front. The mountain outside really had exploded in real life.

_But isn't that where the team was looking for…_

Swift gasped between sobs of pain. "You-you helped Morrow"

"I was his main financier, yes" Her mother took a puff out of her cigarette. "Quite an incredible sight isn't it. And to think that it will all be over in a few moments. Not even the Justice League will be able to stop it. No one can stop nature"

"That isn't nature…you forced it to happen." Swift gave into her pain and wretched, expelling the bile from her system.

"hmph" her adversary snorted "Pity I couldn't arrange for Batman to come and watch you like this."

"Like you…like you tried to do at the Hall of Justice" Swift spat. "That shot was pathetic; you couldn't even hide yourself from the crowds. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were losing your touch, am I right old hag?"

The woman's face twitched as she growled.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Swift grimaced through gritted teeth. "Only give yourself more wrinkles-gwolp!" She heaved again and something bubbled in her mouth. She spluttered and small dark red drops speckled the floor.

The woman's face twisted into a disgusted grimace. "pathetic" she muttered. But then stopped.

Swift felt it too. The tremors were dying down and the smoke wasn't billowing from the volcano anymore.

"No…NO!" the woman screeched in anger. Though she wretched again the corners of Swift's mouth twitched upwards.

"I told you so" Swift growled triumphantly "My side always wins. AH!"

She only saw the flash of silver for a split second before the knife plunged itself into her gut.

"You should watch your tongue brat!" the blade twisted slowly as her mother pulled out the blade her pale face livid with rage. She turned around and stalked off out the ramp at the back of the ship. Swift felt a large hand pick her up from behind. She smelt the hot breath and cologne wafting from behind her as a large chest expanded and contracted inside what seemed to be a black stealth suit. The sounds of a large breath through a respirator echoed in her brain.

"Where should I put her now Mam?" the voice was slightly muffled from behind the respirator but even so Swift could not make out his accent, though she could tell he'd been brought up using the British English system what with the way the phrased his vowels.

"Dump her somewhere but make sure she won't be noticed for a long while. I want Batman to have a good look at what happens when he dares mess with me again"

Swift was so exhausted that she barely struggled as the pair of hands that held her up repositioned themselves to hold her bridal style. She looked up into his face.

The complete lower half was covered by a black respirator but she could still discern some of his features.

He was a young man with raven black hair, neatly combed back, not unlike how Bruce usually styled his hair for work, though this guy's hair was a little more on the curly side. His skin was pale though he had olive undertones and his brows were thick but neat set nicely in the well balanced angular face. But the most distinguishing feature was his eyes, bright amber, keen and sharp like a cat's. For some reason he felt familiar to her…

He placed her down on the ground towards the back of the ship, and once he was settled he slipped off his mask.

Across his thin lips a jagged scar cut across diagonally marring the handsome face.

"I…Ishan?" She breathed

He looked down on Swift's widened eyes and gave a tiny smile.

"It's been a long time Christine"

Swift opened her mouth to speak but as soon as he saw her Ishan placed a cloth over her mouth.

A sweet smell filled her nose and her vision began to darken at once.

_Why Ishan? Why?..._

But his face faded into darkness.

* * *

"Swift! Swift please wake up!"

_That voice…I know that voice…_

"GUY'S! Come quick!"

_Conner…but why does he sound so upset…_

"GUYS!"

"Conner calm down-HOLY SHIT! ROBIN!"

_Way to keep calm Kid idiot._

"Swift! Swift if you can hear me?"

_Dick you're here… Wait what's that…my hand…_

"If you can hear me squeeze your hand!"

_Can't move my fingers. Eyes won't open._

"Swift please…please you've got to try"

_What's that wet thing that dropped on my face?_

"Swift!"

_Dick…are you crying?_

"Artemis have you got the scissors?"

"Yes Kaldur"

"Only cut the uniform. Wally prepare to clean the blood, Conner keep monitoring her heartbeat"

_Swift are you there?_

_M'gann?_

"Guy's she's responding to my telepathy!"

"link us up! NOW!"

_Swift!_

_Oh god that's a lot of blood!_

_Marvellous job captain obvious!_

_Artemis, Wally please I'm in enough pain as it…it…_

_Swift?_

_…hurry …I don't know how much longer..._

_Swift hold on!_

_Robin…I'm scared… I don't know if I can…_

_Her heartbeat's fading!_

_Come on missy you can't leave me now! Not now!_

_Robin…I'm… sorry…I…love…you…_

_…._

"…Swift?"

"..."

"…"

"I…I can't hear her heart beat…"

"…"

"…"

"No….NOOOOO!"

"Rob…I'm so sorry"

"No! She's not dead! She can't be! SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!"

"Robin step away"

"NO!"

"Robin we're at the cave! We can still save her!"

"HOW?!"

"Zatara"

* * *

**Watch Tower, October 11 2010, 07:03 EDT**

Batman sat at the head of the Justice League council room trying to stifle a yawn. He was really tired. It had been his shift for monitor duty on the Watchtower and he'd been at it all night. During his vigil immense energy readings came up on the system monitors. It wasn't unusual. The sensors on the watchtower were always hypersensitive to the seismic events of the globe and as such it was not unusual for them to be alerted to volcanic eruptions.

So he was very surprised when he saw a large dark cloud blot out a dark grey smoke over the night clouds above a point in North America. Batman could remember typing furiously away at the computers. Whatever the event it was immensely powerful to the point that the readings were quite literally flying off the charts. But that was not what made it unusual. No the unusual bit was that it had only lasted half an hour before suddenly stopping in its tracks.

He remembered feeling very confused. Natural disasters could be quick to happen but even they did not just suddenly stop in the middle of their processes. He continued observing that area of the globe for the rest of the night, but nothing had presented itself.

So, once Hawk Woman had come up to relieve him of his duties he had called for an immediate emergency meeting.

Batman looked around the table at the people he'd called. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal), Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and Green Arrow were all here. Black Canary should've been there too as she was an important member but she was still probably at the Cave with the sidekicks. Still, Batman and Green Arrow shared a scowl; she was never usually half an hour late for a meeting.

But then again, Black Canary was having an unusually good time babysitting at the cave this week. Batman could remember that Tuesday, when he and Green Arrow had walked into the Cave's common room to find all the teens sitting around Black Canary as she sat on a couch retelling a particularly amusing story about how the League had all been turned into animals by Morgan Le Fay. Poor Oliver went beetroot red when she'd mentioned that he'd been turned into a blond goat, whom Batman had terrorised when the green archer had flippantly joked about his animal form (which obviously had been a bat). The team, especially Dick and Christine, had laughed at Oliver's great expense.

Batman was roused from his amused reminiscences as a beeping sound went off overhead. Everybody turned as a holographic screen came up in front with the text.

**_Emergency call: Mount Justice_ **

"Computer accept call. Authorisation Batman 02" Batman clipped.

They all gasped as Black Canary, or rather Dinah as she was in her civvies, face flashed over the screen. By the diffused light in the room they all guessed she was standing in the Cave's main hall.

She looked positively haggard. There were dark circles under her eyes and her hair was messed up so badly, like she'd fallen asleep on it. She seemed to also be wearing her nightdress. She sighed in exhausted relief as she saw their faces.

"Woah! Now that's what I call bed hair!" Flash's eyebrows rose really high, ignoring Green Arrow's possessive death glare.

" _Shut up Barry_   _this is urgent_ " Dinah spared a nasty glare for the speedster before running a hand through her hair and sighing.

"What's the emergency?" Batman narrowed his eyes. She didn't look like she was in danger but there was something about her tone that made him very worried.

The heroine bit her lip nervously as she saw the Dark Knight's jaw tighten and took a deep breath. " _It's Christine, Bruce._ "

"What's happened to her?"

Dinah gulped, obviously very nervous.

"Dinah," Batman growled his fear mounting. Superman glanced worriedly as he heard the man's heartbeat speed up instantly. He didn't need the mental link to hear the miniscule but very present twinge of fear in his voice.

" _I-I don't know how to say this Bruce…Zatara came by with his daughter Zatanna for a visit. They were supposed to be giving Zatanna a tour of Happy Harbour, but then the team gallivanted off on their own again to find Red Tornado._

"Did they find him or get any leads?" Superman answered because Batman looked like he was going to explode in fury. Dinah scratched her head avoiding his eye.

 _" They did… but Christine-_ "

"Dinah!" a voice called on her end. There was a flash as a red haired boy dashed to the older woman's side, dressed in blue PJ's. Flash winced as he caught sight of his protégé. He too was looking just as fatigued as his colleague and a little battered like he'd just been in a fight.

" _Dinah, Zatara's finally managed to stop all the bleeding!_ "

" _Wally_!" she clamped a hand over the teenagers large mouth in horror.

There was a loud clang.

Everyone turned to see the Batman's chair lying on the floor, its occupant long gone. They all stared at it in dumb struck silence.

Finally after five minutes Green Arrow looked at his watch. "Three." He muttered.

"Two." Green Lantern rolled his eyes sighed.

Flash quickly turned back to the screen and fixed his nephew with a panic stricken look.

"Wally."

" _Yeah Uncle Barry_?"

"You should probably run now"

"… _Why_?" Wally narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he sleepily stumbled.

" _Hey where's Dinah_?" He found his feet but looked around just as the yellow light and whirring hum of a zeta tube sounded behind him.

"One" Superman muttered as the dark cloaked figure materialised from the light.

The Leaguers all watched open mouthed as a pair of black gloved hands entered the screen's boundaries and grabbed the young speedster by the scruff of his T-shirt.

The Justice Leaguers all gulped as they saw the boys legs dangle in front of the screen as Batman's feral snarl issued from the speakers.

"Wallace West! Where is Swift?!"

_Its official_

Superman shuddered as they saw Wally's body go limp as he fainted.

_No one messes around with Batman's little girl!_

* * *

"Batman" Kaldur gulped as Batman stormed into the common room his cape billowing behind him in his rage. In one arm he was deposited Wally's unconscious form on the floor.

"Where is she?" he barked. Kaldur, Conner, M'gann, Artemis and Zatanna all flinched at the tones and shrank away. All were dressed in their night clothes, their faces haggard and scared. Dick sat in a dark corner of the room, curled into a tight ball and not even looking up at his mentor.

"I asked you all a question! Where is Swift?!"

"She's…in the med bay…with Robin and Zatara" Artemis's voice shook slightly as she tried to focus on anything but the terrifying glare that Batman set them all with.

"And why is she in the med bay?" he growled.

"Uhh…." The five teenagers all looked at each other nervously. Oh they were royally screwed.

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 11 2010, 07:17 EDT**

Christine opened her eyes. A bright light hovered dimly from somewhere above her. Everything was blurred. Someone had removed her mask.

Wait she had removed her mask back in the Bio Ship. The bio ship…Ishan…her mother!

She wanted to get up at once, but even the thought of it made her muscles ache. She took a deep breath and felt a sharp pain from her abdomen.

That's right…she'd been stabbed…

Something black shifted in her peripheral vision. With painstaking effort she turned her head. She saw the blurred outline of a doorway in which two people seemed to be standing talking. Both were dark though one had bright blonde head and was dressed in blue the other was really tall dark, huge and mostly black.

The larger figure seemed to turn in her direction and she smiled as she saw the blurred swish of a cape.

She smiled softly.

She blinked and the large black mass of the Batman suddenly appeared at her bedside.

"Zatara managed to heal most of her injuries-" Black Canary's voice called as she walked slowly towards them.

Christine winced slightly as her dad's hands hurriedly patted her down as if checking her injuries for himself. After a minute or so he accidently hit the spot where she'd been stabbed and she cried out.

Batman stopped at once seeming to stare at the spot he'd touched.

"Her stab wound. It's mostly gone. But she'll need to spend a couple days resting" Dinah explained calmly before turning to Christine and smiling "How're you feeling"

Christine smiled.

"Lousy. But I'll live" her voice sounded very hoarse and cracked.

She could hear Batman's breathing quicken from beside her. Dinah smiled.

"I'll give you two a moment." Christine watched as the older woman left the room before focusing her gaze back onto Batman.

"Dad…I…"

"What were you thinking?" he wasn't shouting but his growl was so dark that he might as well have.

Christine's smile faltered.

"Dad, I'm sorry"

"For what? For breaking the rules or for putting yourself in mortal peril when you were already sick?! Do you have any idea what you've put me through? Do you?"

Christine turned her head away from him.

"Don't turn away from me!" he gently grabbed her chin and forced her to look back at him.

"Why not? Either way you're still pissed off with me" She mumbled.

"How the hell do you expect me to react? You almost died! You did die…" the gravelly voice cracked and now that he was close enough she saw his face. The white slits of the cowl were narrowed but his thin lips were trembling as if he was trying to restrain himself from crying out in pain.

He reached forwards and her vision was obscured by the black and grey of his uniform as he held her close. With great caution she pulled her hands up and looped them around his neck. It was a little uncomfortable, but that was normal seeing as his suit was fitted with really hard armour underneath the cloth.

She sniffed and instantly her nose was filled with that familiar musky smell of his. Her eyes began to water again.

"Daddy I'm sorry! I'm really sorry"

* * *

The Team was next to see her.

At first M'gann poked her head through to check the coast was clear. Then she spotted Batman sitting by Christine's bed. She gulped as the Dark Knight turned to face her, but his anger was now abated somewhat and he nodded standing up. Christine squeezed his hand one last time before he strode out of the room.

Christine smiled fondly as one by one her teammates all filed into the room.

Wally was the first, zipping over superfast to hug her quickly and ruffle her hair.

"Seriously, only you could be beaten and stabbed to death and come back smiling" he rolled his eyes though Christine could see that they were shining with unshed tears

"Damn straight" Artemis was next and like Wally she too was trying to hold back tears. M'gann didn't even bother. She flew up to Christine bawling her eyes out and blubbering incoherent words that might've been her Martian mother tongue, but no one could really translate.

She only stopped when Kaldur put a hand on her shoulder. He looked down on Christine and smiled softly.

"Welcome back"

"It's good to be back" she rasped. Kaldur stood still for a moment as if unsure but then he shut his eyes and swooped down.

Christine stiffened in surprise as she felt his arms surround her. She patted him on the back nervously, not sure of what to do. Kaldur, though a kind and loyal friend, never ever hugged anybody. It was surprisingly comfortable. His skin was cool but pleasant and he smelled distinctly of the sea. She could also feel his gills against her own neck, tickling her slightly as they opened and closed softly.

As she was finally feeling herself relax to this new experience however Kaldur was shoved away, to be replaced by a very familiar warmth and the smell of sweat and pines. She could feel his body trembling as he squeezed her tight in a bear hug.

"Conner-"

"Whoever the hell did this to you…" he rumbled "I swear I will-"

"Shh! Conner it's ok" Christine cooed as she stroked through his hair soothingly and when he pulled away to look at her she pinched his nose.

"Ow!"

"That's payback for tickling me in training" She smirked. Conner grinned as did everyone else. Everyone except for Dick.

Tears streamed down his face from behind the shades over his eyes. Christine's smile faltered as her partner seemed to diminish back into that small nine year old she'd met all those years ago on that dark fateful night.

She held out her hand to him. He took it carefully, handling it like one would delicate glass.

Everyone turned their attention away to the door, pretending to watch for other visitors as Christine stroked Dick's face.

"Silly boy don't cry. I'm not going anywhere any time soon." She wiped his tears from his cheeks.

"You better not" He mumbled. "Because I…."

"You what?"

Dick smiled and leaned into her ear.

"I love you too Christine" he whispered softly. He pressed his lips to her cheek.

Somewhere close by Wally laughed as Christine's face turned fire hydrant red.


	18. Episode 16: Failsafe

**Wayne Manor, October 16 2010, 10:36 EDT**

Alfred was polishing the banisters of the grand staircase when the doorbell rang.

"Hmm another visitor" he mused setting down the cleaning cloth with the other implements by his side. He straightened his tie and sleeves and walked over to open the large doors.

Roy Harper and Oliver Queen were both standing on the doorstep looking very uncomfortable and both holding a bouquet of flowers each, one complete with yellow dandelions and the other a small but pretty mix of violets, purple irises and lavenders.

"Welcome gentlemen. Master Bruce has been expecting you"

"Hello Alfred" Both Roy and Ollie grinned in relief at the sight of the old butler who held the door wider to let them through.

Oliver was wearing dark pants, with a black shirt and dark green jacket, which Alfred took from him quickly before turning to take Roy's black leather jacket. Roy was just in jeans and a dark red T shirt and sneakers.

"How's Christine" he muttered switching the violet bouquet in his hands as he settled his shirt.

"Miss Christine is quite well Mr. Harper. In fact she is playing videogames with young master Dick in the lounge. However if you would please follow me up to the study. Master Bruce would like to see you and Mr Queen before you go and greet your other friends"

"How is the little miss anyways?" Oliver smirked as he heard the sounds of a television in the distance.

Alfred gave a small sad smile "Miss Christine is at the moment unable to do anything too strenuous or stressful, lest her injuries accidently resurface. That being said she is recovering quite fast so she'll soon be up and at it before too long."

"I don't doubt it" Ollie muttered. Alfred smirked as they made to climb the stairs.

"Yeah, the last time she got injured badly she recovered in a week and beat the cra-" He gulped as Alfred gave him a very pointed look "cr-ack out of some of Penguins minions"

The moments passed in comfortable silence as the three made their way down several more corridors, until they reached a large richly polished wooden door.

Alfred knocked three times.

"Who is it?" A deep gruff voice called from within.

"It is I, Alfred, Master Bruce. And I've brought up Mr Queen and Mr Harper just as you've instructed"

"Alright Alfred show them in"

Alfred opened the door and held it open for the two men who stepped inside.

The study was a large room with full wooden bookshelves covering all the walls, with a couple of rolling ladders attached securely on either end. In the centre of the room, on top of the deep red carpet an ornate wooden desk matching the bookcases stood with a black chair behind it. In the chair sat Bruce Wayne in a dark grey dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black dress pants, hair slicked back neatly as he brooded over what seemed to be a small old journal.

He looked up as Oliver and Roy stepped inside and quickly set the book back in a drawer.

"Hello Oliver, Roy"

"Hey Bruce!" Oliver nodded his head.

"Hey…"

Roy squinted as he caught sight of a framed photograph sitting on the desk. He could see Bruce, who was probably a teenager as he looked slightly younger and less bulky then now, standing with another young man with their arms around each other's shoulders.

Though both were wearing the same white martial arts gi, you could tell that the other man was of a much leaner build than Bruce. He was much handsomer too and that was saying something as Bruce Wayne was supposed to be one of the most sought after bachelors in the world. He had short, dark brown hair, bright intelligent warm brown eyes and there was something about his smile that made even Roy feel at ease. Just like his surrogate little sister always did when she smiled.

Now that he thought about it…the man and Christine did look remarkably similar.

"Is that… Christine's dad?" He pointed to the man in the picture.

Oliver looked quickly at Bruce who had tensed up at once.

"Why do you ask?"

"Nothing" Roy jumped away from the photograph. "It's just…I've never seen him before and…well they look a lot alike"

He gulped as Bruce fixed him with a piercing stare for a few moments before sitting back down.

"Yes they do look a lot alike, but I didn't call you both here to look at old photographs. Have a seat." He gestured to the two chairs opposite him and the two archers sat down nervously. Somewhere at the doorway Alfred gave a pointed cough.

Bruce rolled his eyes, looking more like an irritated child being nagged by his parents than a terrifying man.

"Would either of you like anything to drink?"

"I'll just have water." Oliver smirked.

"A soda…please" he added quickly to Alfred who nodded.

"Very good sirs I shall be right back"

"Thanks Alfred!" both archers called before Oliver turned quickly to Roy eyebrows raised.

"Seriously Roy? A soda in the middle of the day?"

"Shut up Ollie! I'm not a kid anymore!" Roy snapped folding his arms grouchily.

"Could've fooled me" Oliver muttered under his breath.

Bruce cleared his throat loudly as Roy opened his mouth to retort. He shrank back into his seat moodily.

"Now that's over and done with" he sighed before leaning forwards onto the desk "Dick and the team are going to be going into a virtual Failsafe simulation today"

"A Failsafe simulation?" Roy quirked an eyebrow.

Now it was Oliver's turn to tense up. He and the League had been through enough of those failsafe simulations to last them a lifetime and he never wished to do another ever again.

"Bruce are you sure you want to do this? They've only been a team for barely three months" Oliver narrowed his eyes but the other man nodded.

"I know. But given the events concerning the Injustice League and last week…" he paused and Roy saw the hands clench into fists "…they need the preparation, they need to know how to handle themselves should something on that scale or bigger happens again. They can't keep relying on us to save them"

"So basically…you're going to put them through all that hell… AGAIN?" Roy burst out angrily.

"I thought you didn't care about what happens to the team" Bruce glared at the boy who glared back defiantly.

"Just because I don't want to join them doesn't mean I don't stop caring about my friends! And what about Christine?"

"What about her?"

"You know she won't ever agree go through with this plan!"

"No she won't which is why she is never to know it's going to happen" Bruce's growl turned more aggressive, almost territorial. "Up till next week, Christine is on leave from all patrols and team missions until we are sure her injuries are fully healed."

"I thought Alfred said she was recovering fast?" Oliver scratched his beard.

"She is physically…but emotionally…" Bruce sighed heavily "She's not even opened up once. Not to me, Alfred or even Dick. I think Dinah might've tried a couple of days ago because Christine gets all crabby whenever anyone mentions her name"

Bruce shut his eyes and leaned back in his chair. He'd always known that Christine was less comfortable around older women, even her school teachers and other female Leaguers. With Leslie and Jacqueline she was a little more comfortable, but still she was always distant.

"I don't know what's scarier." Roy muttered "Christine when she's pissed off or Dinah when she's in her psychiatrist mode"

"Who's scarier?"

They all turned around just as Alfred came through the door carrying the drinks for Oliver and Roy. Behind him was Dinah and Clark who both entered the room looking grim.

"Hey Bruce, Oliver, Roy."

Everyone nodded as Alfred set the drinks on the table and pulled up two extra chairs from the side for Dinah and Clark.

"Thank you Alfred" Dinah smiled at the old man who bobbed his head in return as he slid the chair under her as she sat down. Clark chose to remain standing and leaned against a bookshelf.

"How is Christine?" Bruce asked his butler pointedly.

"The young mistress is currently settled on the couch with Master Dick, watching the first instalment of the Lord of the Rings." Alfred rolled his eyes.

Bruce seemed to share his irritation and sighed.

"Don't they ever get bored of those movies?"

He liked movies just as much as the rest of them, however he always thought there was a limit to how many times one can watch the same set of movies all over again.

"Probably not" Roy smirked as he spotted a set of said books on a shelf to his left.

"Of course you would say that" Oliver muttered "you're the one who started it for them"

"Well they are good movies. And the books are even better" Clark shrugged.

"Back to the matter at hand." Bruce coughed irritably before turning to the red head boy in front of him. "As we were saying before, Christine is still on the mend and will not be taking part in the Failsafe simulation."

"But Dick is?" Clark asked. Bruce nodded.

"Yes, but Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel, Red Tornado and I will be watching over them to try and keep a handle on the situation. Roy I need you to keep watch over Christine while I'm away.

"So in short you took me off duty to babysit?" Roy scowled. "Why not ask Alfred to keep an eye on her? I could help you guys catch the guy responsible! And knock his lights out" he added mumbling.

"I may be able to stay twenty four seven at the manor Mr Harper" Alfred clipped. "But Master Bruce may need me to do other things for him in the cave. When that happens I may not be able to watch over her and if she's left alone…I shudder to think about what might happen"

And indeed the old man did shudder. Roy still looked very confused.

"Alfred's right Roy" Clark explained calmly "Last week we thought that keeping her alone on com duty in the bio ship was safe, but it wasn't."

"Also you aren't Justice League" Oliver added much to the younger man's chagrin "the enemy will not expect you to be there which gives you the element of surprise should anyone come knocking."

"Of course if it weren't so dangerous I would've called her best friend Freddy to stay and watch her. But …" Bruce paused as the memory of her resting in a medical bed strapped to several machines floated across his mind.

"Also Christine trusts you more than us. It'll be easier for her to stay put if you're with her and keeping her busy." He flexed his hands to relieve himself of the stress.

Roy glowered at all of them for a good long moment before huffing in exasperation and standing up.

"Fine I'll watch her. But you better make sure you catch that creep or else I'll hunt him down myself"

"Here take these for me, while you're at it. We'll probably be stuck up here for a long time" Oliver quickly handed him the bouquet in his hands.

Roy nodded tersely and made to follow Alfred out of the room.

As soon as the door was shut, Clark sat down in Roys vacated chair sighing.

"Any luck?" Bruce asked.

"Nope. Nothing whatsoever to report on a new enemy." Clark groaned.

"And I talked to Tornado" Dinah folded her arms "He says that Morrow never knew his financier, only that he was paid through an untraceable line. So unless Christine decides to open up we're sitting ducks."

"So you did try to talk to her?" Bruce asked quietly.

"Yes…but it didn't go so well..." Dinah looked down at the floor worriedly

"What happened?" Oliver grasped her hand comfortingly.

"Nothing much. But it wasn't pleasant. I kept asking her questions but she just sat in her chair and glared at me. She did this for about half an hour before I asked her about whether there were people in her past that would hold anything against her, like her mother, and she stood up without a word and left the room."

"Well that was to be expected. Christine hates that bitch" Oliver muttered.

"Who doesn't?" Clark snorted and Bruce nodded in agreement.

"But it's quite sad really." Dinah sighed "Her mother's neglect has hurt her so badly that she's built a defensive barrier around herself to protect her from connecting emotionally to whoever she sees as potential maternal figures. Also to keep the barrier in place Christine herself acts motherly so others perceive her to be stronger than she looks and thus do not worry so much about her."

"Which would explain why it took so long for the team to realise something was wrong." Bruce nodded in understanding. He had been wondering why the team had been so slow on the uptake that night, but now that Dinah had pointed it out to him it made sense. And now that he thought about it, every time he saw Christine with her teammates she was usually the one keeping everyone in check.

He raised his head and forced himself out of his musings as Dinah began speaking again.

"Though her physical strength needs improvement, Christine is a master of stealth, probably the best on the team and would be second best to Batman if she were in the league. Dick's the third best in stealth but is better in handling software and technology. He could be equal to Christine however his ego often gets in the way".

Dinah looked carefully at Bruce who nodded in understanding. When it came down to analysing people's fighting stats no one could really argue with Black Canary.

"What if she was distracted" Oliver added quickly but Dinah shook her head.

"No even then she's still very careful. You should see her when I give the Team exercises." She smirked "She can be yelling at Wally and Artemis for bickering and still take down a training bot sneaking up on her whilst at the same time helping Kaldur co-ordinate the team's movements"

Bruce smirked with pride.

"Whoever attacked Christine is obviously very dangerous, to have been able to get into the bio ship without her knowing, even if she was sick." Clark shifted uncomfortably in his spot.

"An enemy worthy of the League" Bruce nodded his pride giving way to worry. "I initially thought it was Lex Luthor. He's not above funding scientists like T.O. Morrow for his own gains. But the attack on Christine was altogether too…bloody for it to be him."

"You're right. Luthor would never want to get his own hands dirtied." Oliver nodded "Unless he had hired a hit man?" Oliver suggested but Dinah and Bruce both shook their heads.

"The injuries that she received plus the stab wound suggests that the attacker had some personal angle" Bruce's tone was stern and decisive, like his alter ego.

"Maybe it was an enemy of yours like Ra's al Ghul. He did try to kill her back at Canaveral when you foiled his rocket plan. Maybe he wanted to get back at you through her?" Clark narrowed his eyes grimly.

"I've considered that possibility too…" Bruce stared hard at the wood on the desk as if his gaze would burn a hole right through it. "It's logical and would make more sense but something tells me that it wasn't. For one if Ra's did want to hit me hard he would've also tried to target Dick or one of my other close allies, or even Gotham itself. Also you forget that attack at the Hall of Justice. All of the original seven were there in the open, and Clark you were there on the podium for five minutes so if someone wanted to put a kryptonite bullet through you they would've. But they waited for Christine to step up and finish speaking. They wanted to take her down at her highest point. And they wanted to do it themselves."

"So we're looking for a sadistic murderer with a grudge? That should narrow our list down a lot." Oliver exclaimed dramatically.

"We do seem to come across a lot of those don't we?" Clark smirked.

"Yeah but this time someone has a personal grudge against Swift." Bruce said through clenched teeth.

"Y'know that being said" Oliver leant back in his chair "Given what's happened, you should actually be proud of her"

"I am proud of her" Bruce growled grumpily but Oliver shook his head

"No, no I mean…the fact that someone is targeting her personally also means that our enemies are just as afraid of her as they are of us."

"And that's a good thing how?" Clark raised his eyebrows

"Well…it's good because it shows us that, give or take a few years, she could be a valuable asset to the league"

"The League doesn't accept anyone under the age of eighteen Oliver" Bruce growled "and I will most certainly not be letting Christine join until she is old enough."

"And when will that be? When she's eighty?" Oliver snorted. "Y'know Bruce you really are way too possessive about your stuff. Sometimes I wonder who out of the Triumphant Trio really are the children"

"What did you say Queen?" Bruce reached over the chair about to grab his friend by the collar, but Clark put out both his hands to hold both of them away from each other.

"She may be fourteen" Clark pushed Bruce back into his chair "And maybe it seems early, but her time to shine on her own has come at last…who are we to deny her that?"

"Clark's right Bruce…" Dinah grunted as she forced her affronted boyfriend back into his own seat too "She's not going to be your little girl forever. Christine has a free spirit, if you keep her locked away like this she will snap. And -don't give me that look!" she barked as she saw him open his mouth to speak "You knew this from the start. You told us yourself after she made her first debut four years ago. We asked you what your plans for the future of the league was and you showed us Dick and  _her._ "

Bruce stared at Dinah for a good long moment. He couldn't deny it. She was right. He had told them all that. He sank back into his chair, brooding darkly. Clark and Dinah both sighed in relief and sat back down in their own chairs.

Oliver bristled in his spot as he straightened his slightly crinkled shirt.

"Now that's cleared up perhaps we can get back to discussing the attack"

"We need to get Christine to tell us who attacked her" Dinah sighed "It's the only chance we have of finding who's responsible."

"Of course" Bruce narrowed his eyes "Why do you think I invited Roy?"

* * *

Dick quickly set the bowl of popcorn in front of them both onto the coffee table before returning back to kiss the spot again. As he did he carefully settled himself so that they were both on their sides, him behind her.

Christine shifted herself so that her back was snuggled closely into Dick's chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist from behind.

"Enjoying yourself" he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah. It's been a while since we last did this together. But seriously" she gestured to the screen as a black robed figure on a horse made to snatch at a white horse on which an elvish lady (Arwen) was riding, with a sickly hobbit (Frodo) in front of her.

"Even I didn't look like  **that**  when I was sick."

Dick chuckled and kissed the spot right next to her ear.

Christine giggled as she felt his warm breath tickle her neck.

"Dick…" Christine giggled as he pushed back her hair so he could kiss the side of her neck softly.

He shifted his head so that his nose was buried in the crook between her jaw and ear and inhaled deeply.

"You smell nice" he sighed softly.

"R-really?" Christine gulped nervously.

"Yeah" he closed his eyes and sniffed again. "Like lavender and honey"

Christine chuckled. He loved having honey on the special occasions when Alfred made his home made cereal. She could almost see him salivating.

She wiggled back into him to make herself more comfortable, as the short white summer dress she wore was crinkled beneath her thighs.

"S-stop" Dick stuttered. Christine turned and as she did her hips pressed back against his.

She heard him hiss softly and turned her head to see him blushing and gritting his teeth as he looked the length of her body pressed against him.

Christine's mouth turned into an o of comprehension and her blush worsened dramatically as she focused on the back of her thigh where something was poking at her slightly.

"I'm Sorry" he muttered sheepishly as he noticed with apprehension that their faces were inches apart.

"…your hand isn't" she whispered.

Dick froze as he looked down to where he felt his hand to be. As if it had a mind of its own it had slipped beneath the hem of her white skirt and settled quite happily on her hip.

Christine tried to move away but began teetering over the edge.

"AH Dick help" she cried out quickly.

Dick grabbed her quickly with both arms pulling her back up, but too far.

Thwump!

"I said help me up not feel me up" Christine squeaked.

"I know. I'm sorry" He shut his eyes. He'd grabbed her to pull her up to sit, but instead of grabbing her waist he'd grabbed both her boobs. In his mortification he accidently gave them a squeeze. His eyes flew open.

"Wow! They really are larger than they look. And really soft" He said in amazement, sounding like a scientist would upon the discovery of a fascinating new animal species.

"Argh! Trust you to say that" Christine groaned hiding her red face in her hands.

There was a creak and they both looked up just as Roy poked his head through the door.

"Shit" Dick muttered as the older boys face turned redder than his hair.

There they were, looking ruffled up with Dick's hands squeezing Christine's boobs from behind as she sat on his lap, her skirt flipped up slightly, revealing her toned thighs.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"

Roy stormed forwards. He yanked Dick off the couch and pushed him into a separate chair.

"Roy…I-it's not w-what you t-think…" Christine stuttered as she tried to quickly resettle her breasts in her bra again.

"Jesus Christ!" he hissed as he pinched the bridge of his nose "At least make sure you lock the doors!"

"Roy. Nothing happened" Dick panted in shock trying to understand why Roy was even at the manor let alone in the lounge "It was an accident, we weren't really about to…y'know…"

He paused as Christine turned the colour of a fire hydrant.

Roy just sighed heavily. "Next time just make sure you keep whatever you two are doing in a private space."

"It was a private space until you came in" Christine sprang to her feet glaring.

"Yeah but Bruce is right upstairs. If he catches you two like this he will flip. Be thankful it was me who caught you!"

"Speaking of catching us. Why are you here?" Dick stood up too.

"Bruce and the league want me to babysit Christine whilst they give the rest of the team a simulation exercise" Roy said trying to dispel the images of his two friend's previous positions. He was obviously failing miserably, because he was now beginning to shake with semi suppressed laughter.

"Oh God! Why didn't I bring my camera?" He cried out laughing.

Oh he was never going to let them live this down. EVER.

* * *

**Batcave, October 16 2010, 15:15 EDT**

"Are you sure we won't get in trouble for this?" Roy glanced around the large cave nervously.

Christine rolled her eyes as her fingers deftly passed over the keys of the Bat Computer.

"Alfred is upstairs baking and will probably continue doing so for the next hour, trust me we won't get in trouble. And besides, I've been hacking these babies since I was nine. Now here we are…Cheshire"

She hit the enter button and the images of the masked assassin appeared over the multiple screen display.

"Go ahead knock yourself out" Christine sank back in her chair and closed her eyes.

Roy looked at her once before going back to peruse the database file. Unfortunately there wasn't so much he already didn't know.

"I-Ishan…"

He quickly shut the machine off and turned back to Christine who was already dozing in her chair, mumbling under her breath.

"Ishan…why?"

"Christine…" Roy reached out and gently shook her shoulder. She grunted and opened her eyes.

"Sorry" she shook her head sleepily "I-I only meant to close my eyes not doze off"

"It's ok…"Roy looked around the Batcave for any sign of Alfred. No butler in sight. He looked back at Christine who was looking worried.

"Roy?"

"Who's Ishan?" He frowned.

"What? Ishan?" A look of dawning horror spread over her face. But she quickly replaced it with a tired look. "Oh Ishan…. he's … just a childhood friend from when my pa-…my father was alive…" She trailed off trying to look at anywhere rather than Roy but he seemed to have guessed already.

"Is he the one who attacked you?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly…"

"Chris-"

"Roy I'm serious he didn't. Can we please talk about something else?"

"No Christine. You need to tell Bruce about this."

"No! He doesn't have to know a thing"

"Why not?"

"I…I want – no – I need to handle this on my own"

"Argh! Chris!" Roy groaned pinching the bridge of his nose "We're all worried about you. The team, the league, me!"

"You shouldn't be. I'm perfectly fine"

"You were injured so badly that you were dead for five whole minutes! How can you expect us not to worry?"

Christine folded her arms and scowled "Y'know, you're beginning to sound like my dad now"

"Fine by me." Roy glared back.

"What is going on?" They looked up the stairs to see Alfred standing, with a large tray laden with tea, coffee and an assortment of fresh biscuits hot out of the oven.

"Nothing Alfred" Christine quickly called. Alfred quirked an eyebrow as he carefully stepped down the stairs.

While he was distracted Christine stuck her tongue out at Roy who glared back mulishly. He was not going to let her get away with this.

As soon as Alfred left them, to go tend to his precious plants in the greenhouse, Roy struck again, though this time on a different tack.

"So…this Ishan guy…What was he like?"

Christine choked on her tea.

"What? Why-Why do you ask?"

"Well you said he was a friend of yours so I was just wondering…" Roy shrugged nonchalantly as he took a swig of coffee.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she took a biscuit. Roy watched her as she nibbled on it thoughtfully.

"Ishan Shahzad," She said finally.

"Gazuntite" Roy snorted.

"That's his full name" Christine glared. "In Persian it translates to Compassionate Son of a Powerful King/Prince."

"And was he?" Roy watched worriedly Christine looked down at her reflection in her tea.

"…He was perhaps one of the kindest people I'd ever met."

Her voice was distant and sad.

"H-He was the son of Professor Nazim Shahzad."

"Oh I've heard of him!" Roy set his cup down quickly. "He's that really famous Archaeological Forensics specialist from Oxford, the one who's helping curate the new Ancient Biaylian exhibit next January in Star city"

Christine looked up surprised. The Red haired archer usually wasn't partial to museums and their exhibits, but he seemed to be pretty well informed about this particular function.

"Ollie funded the expedition and is hosting the exhibit's opening night party" Roy scratched the back of his head.

"I see…" Christine gripped her teacup tighter in her hands.

"So you know Professor Shahzad personal-?"

But Roy stopped abruptly for the atmosphere had suddenly chilled.

"Christine?" Roy reached out to tap her shoulder but she swatted him away.

"I'm ok!" She snapped irritably before turning to look at the Batcave's zeta tube.

She felt again the rush of cold, harsh winds as they nudged her sides warningly.

"Something's wrong" she muttered.

Roy jumped to his feet and snatched up a spare bow from a rucksack under the computer desk. He quickly fitted it to a string as they heard a beep from the Batcomputer.

"Incoming transmission from Mount Justice" Christine muttered as the video connection loaded.

Soon Batman's face appeared on the screen. He looked rather grim.

"Roy are you there?"

"Right here Batman."

"What happened? Is the everything alright? Christine wheeled around but Batman ignored her.

"Roy you can stay at the go and inform Alfred that I'll be returning shortly with Robin. After that wait for me. I want a full report from you."

"A full report?" Christine looked at Roy who gritted his teeth.

"Yes sir" he nodded at Batman.

"Hold it! What's going on?" Christine looked worriedly at Batman. Who spared her a look before avoiding her eye.

"Dad…what happened to the team?" her eyes narrowed.

"Nothing Christine. I want you stay in the Batcave with Roy."

"DAD!" she called but the link shut off. There was a moment's silence. Roy gulped as she slowly turned her chair so as to face him. Her face was livid with wrath.

"Roy…What did dad mean by a full report?"

"Uh…he…I…with you…while team was…."

But comprehension dawned on her face before he could open his mouth again.

"That sneaky son of a…" She growled under her breath before jumping to her feet.

"Chris take it easy, you shouldn't upset -"

"Upset?!" She laughed humourlessly as she strode down the stairs two at a time"I'm not upset. He thinks he can I'm a fool who he can order around as he likes, well he's got another thing coming"

"Where are you going?" Roy called after her as she stormed off to the Zeta Tube.

"To give a bat a piece of my mind!" the last bit came out as an angry yell that made a lot of the bats hanging from the ceiling squeak in alarm as she disappeared in a flash of yellow light.

"Oh…Shit…" Roy groaned "Bruce is going to kill me

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 16 2010, 16: 21 EDT**

Dick's eyes flew open. At first he thought he was still stuck back on the alien ship, it was so dark. But then he felt the hard bench beneath him and saw the outline of the cave ceiling through the dark shades of his glasses.

But they were supposed to be ...

He wiped a hand across his brow panting and paused to look at it. It was wet with sweat.

"You're all alive!" he heard M'gann cry out.

_We are?_

Robin looked around the room. Sure enough he could see M'gann sitting up, looking at them all in relief. Conner was petting wolf in a daze, Kaldur was struggling to sit up as was Artemis and Wally, who had to be helped by Red Tornado and Captain Marvel respectively. Dick felt his stomach sink as he looked around for his partner who was nowhere to be seen.

_No! Please, No!_

Robin breathed heavily. He slid off the platform he'd been lying on just as a computerised voice announced.

**_Recognised Swift B02_ **

Dick's heart leapt in his chest as Christine strode out of the Zeta Tube. Her face was blanched and her skirt billowed as the wind whipped around her. She stopped short as she saw her teammates in the centre of the room.

Eventually her gaze fell upon Dick. She ran and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Are you alright? What happened?" She began patting him down with her hands as if checking for injuries. Dick's breath hitched as her hands touched his face stroking his bangs away from his sweaty forehead.

There was a rustling and they both turned to see Batman holding a fatigued Martian Manhunter up by the shoulders.

"What happened in there?"

"The exercise…it all went wrong" Manhunter grabbed his head in pain.

"Exercise?" Dick breathed not taking his eyes of Christine who turned to Batman eyes wide.

"Try to remember" Batman narrowed his eyes.

"What you experienced was a training exercise. Manhunter psychically linked the six of you within an artificial reality. You all knew this before going in. What you didn't know was that it was a train for failure exercise. No matter what the team accomplished the scenario was designed to grow worse. Still you were aware nothing was real, including the deaths of the entire Justice League."

Batman clenched his fist as Christine glared at him furiously. Manhunter, sensed the tension like one would sense an icy chill and cut in quickly before either bat could open their mouths.

"That is why you hardly grieved, even when Wolf was disintegrated before your very eyes. But all that changed when Artemis died."

Artemis gritted her teeth and looked down at the floor as the Martian continued speaking.

"Though consciously Miss Martian knew it was not real, her subconscious mind could not make that distinction. She forgot it was only an exercise. And her subconscious took control. Making all of you forget too"

Christine looked up to see M'gann's shocked face.

"I-I'm so sorry"

"This isn't her fault! Why didn't you stop the exercise?" Conner yelled angrily.

"We tried…" Manhunter said calmly "But M'gann had …a death grip on the scenario. Even Artemis, who should've awakened after her death, was so convinced she had passed, she slipped into a coma. I realised I would have to arrest control from Miss Martian's subconscious from within. At first I thought if I could distract your emotions long enough I could grab hold of the simulation once again. To achieve this I recreated Swift."

"But…How could you do that? I wasn't even here" Christine gasped.

"It was fairly simple, I used my basic knowledge to create a physical shell in which all of you would subconsciously pour all your emotional ties and shared memories, which would then loosen the emotional grip. Unfortunately the input being transferred into the replica was so strong that it almost solidified M'gann's control. You were all so convinced she was real that all your minds worked subconsciously to make her act how you thought she would…which resulted in her sacrificing herself to save your lives as you arrived at the Hall of Justice."

He looked towards Christine who stiffened in shock as everyone turned to look at her.

"When my first plan failed" Manhunter began and everyone turned to listen intently, except for M'gann who turned away. "I decided to go into the scenario myself. But upon entering the reality I was overwhelmed by your collective emotion…there was too much…noise to think clearly…to remember why I was there. The deaths of Aqualad and Superboy helped. But only when the mother ship exploded, and Robin and Kid Flash were silenced, did my mind clear enough to remember my true purpose. To shock M'gann out of the exercise before your coma's became permanent. My apologies. I had no idea a training exercise could be so dangerous…so damaging"

He trailed off and everyone watched as M'gann put her head in her hands and began to sob. Captain Marvel came over to her and put an arm around her shoulder.

Christine barely listened as Batman and Red Tornado muttered quietly with Martian Manhunter, as they helped him stand up. Instead she looked up at Dick, who was still staring down at her like he'd seen a ghost.

Slowly and cautiously she wrapped her arms around his neck and held her to him. She waited for a moment before hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her, breathing deeply. She stroked her fingers through his hair softly and he buried his face into the crook of her neck sighing softly as he caught that scent of honey and lavender.

He heard someone call out orders but they were distant and mumbled. It was only when Christine herself began to struggle against him that he loosened his grip.

As soon as she was free she looked at the team at large. M'gann was now being held by Conner, Kaldur, Artemis and Wally with Wolf trying to nose his way into their midst. Dick made his way towards the group in a rush.

Christine turned back to look at Batman. She was looking so hurt and so angry. His eyes darted to her sides where her fists shook as if ready to punch something. As he made eye contact with her again she shook her head and turned her back on him.

Batman watched as she stormed off to join her friends, trying and failing to hide the guilt that was spreading in his heart.

He'd stepped over too big a line and now… he was reaping his reward.


	19. Episode 17: Disordered

**?, ? 2010, ?:? EDT**

Robin was inside the Bio-ship manning his own small station but sneakily glancing outside.

She was flying beside the bio ship, her hair billowing in the darkening sky as she dodged bright golden beams from dark ships.

Robin's heart raced as he saw her, determined, fierce, focused and yet graceful, sylph like…

A beam of energy came towards her and she swooped down to avoid it.

"ROBIN!" Robin turned at the sound of his name and saw from the front window a black ship pointing its cannon straight towards them. His eyes widened as he saw a glint of gold as the enemy weapon charged up to shoot at them.

They would never get out of the way in time.

He shut his eyes, ready to be blasted to oblivion when something rammed into them from his side of the Bio ship.

He opened his eyes just in time and saw out of his window a glimpse of purple, black and brown before being engulfed by a ray of golden light.

"NO!"

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 23 2010, 10:34 EDT**

Dick Grayson's eyes flew open as he jerked upwards.

He coughed and spluttered for breath, catching sight of his alarm clock.

_Still at the cave, still at the cave. Just me alone in my be-_

He stopped as he looked beside him. The sheets were crinkled as if they'd been slept on by a much smaller body. He gulped down several breaths of terror as he saw the empty spot beside him.

The images from the dream flashed across his mind's eye as he jumped out of bed and darted to the bathroom to check. No one was there.

He grabbed his shades as he hurried out of the bedroom and down the hall.

He opened the door next door, revealing an empty room. He checked the bathroom. It was empty too

_Oh please, oh please, oh please._

He begged as he ran past his teammates rooms, checking each of theirs as quietly as he could in his panic. Apart from their usual occupants no one else was there.

He ran into the common room and sighed in relief.

She was in the kitchen her back towards him. He could tell it was her. No other person could move as lightly on her feet as she could.

He held his breath as she turned in his direction, her attention diverted as she wiped her hands on her white apron. She looked up at him and flushed a darling, well what was darling to him anyway, pink as she smiled sleepily.

"G-Good morning" He said breathily.

"Good morning…I… made breakfast" Christine yawned as she stretched her arms above her head.

"Breakfast?" Dick sounded like he'd never heard the word before in his life, which was saying something as breakfast was his favourite meal of the day. He was way too distracted as he followed the line of her mussed up brown hair past her gently sloping shoulders. He moved across her night shirt looking down at her now exposed midriff, on which the large scar of a gash spread from her waist diagonally down to her naval.

He heard her grunt as she continued stretching.

"Yeah…It's pancakes. But I've only just finished making the first batch so…"

She trailed off as Dick silently walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

She turned from pink to red as he kissed her cheek. He'd been like this all week. Randomly hugging her at what were usually very normal events in their day. It was like he was trying to make sure she was really there. He also seemed to do it only when they were alone, Christine had seen him holding himself back in front of others including Batman, but that she was grateful for. She wanted to enjoy their private moments, without anyone's interference, together. Though, truth be told, she didn't know what Dick and her were exactly. Girlfriend and Boyfriend seemed like very superficial terms to describe what they shared. The closest term that Christine could label them as were lovers. Even though the thought of that word made her blush and they hadn't even shared a proper kiss yet.

"Mmmm something smells good!" came a groan from behind them. Dick and Christine broke apart as Wally trudged into the common room half asleep.

"Yeah…" came another grunt as Artemis, Kaldur, M'gann and Conner all shuffled into the room behind the speedster.

"…down Wolf…" Conner mumbled grabbing Wolf by his scruffy fur to hold him back. Wolf whined sniffing at the delicious smell in the air.

"Thank you for making us breakfast" Kaldur yawned "would you require more assistance?"

"Not for cooking" Christine shook her head fondly as M'gann dragged Wolf away from the small plate of freshly made pancakes close to the stove "But perhaps you guys could help set the table?"

"Sure thing babe" Wally gave a half smile and walked over to the fridge.

"You help out too Wonder Boy. Or else no pancakes for you" Christine patted Dick's cheek gently.

He nodded before shuffling off tiredly to help the others. Christine's smile faltered as she watched them for a moment.

They were all really out of it. Even Wally and Artemis weren't arguing over the cutlery, like they usually did when they had to set the table together.

She turned back to pour some of the pancake mix into the pan, trying not to listen to the horrible silence that was her broken team.

She couldn't help but feel guilty. If she'd not been so stupid during their mission to find Tornado, she would never have been injured. And if she'd never been injured she might've been able to be with the team and help them in that disastrous simulation.

And yet it was also because of her injuries that Batman had put her friends through that hell in the first place. She'd never felt so confused in her life and she wanted more than anything to talk to someone. The problem was… no … it didn't matter that she was scared. Her team needed her now more than ever, they needed to have someone strong to keep them soldiering on, not a selfish child concerned with nothing but herself.

She gripped the pan tighter in her hand as she flipped a pancake.

She wasn't going to like it, but it looked like she too was going to need a session with Black Canary.

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 23 2010, 22: 18 EDT**

Black Canary sat in the green chair of the consultation room waiting nervously. So far she'd been through Conner (but that technically didn't count as he'd stormed off one minute into his consultation), Artemis, Wally, Kaldur, Robin and M'gann.

She'd received the shock of her life when M'gann had informed her that Christine was going to come in for her own session right after her.

She stood up as the automatic doors to the room slid open.

Christine shuffled into the room in a pair of black leggings and a purple top. She was walking bare footed, despite the fact that the air nowadays was starting to get that wintery nip.

She looked up at the older woman who nodded to her and gestured towards the chair.

Black Canary waited until both of them were seated comfortably before speaking.

"M'gann told me you wanted to talk."

Christine nodded and looked down at the floor nervously. "Yeah I do…I…wanted to apologise for…how I acted…back then. I- I realise I was being really rude and…ungrateful. But I…I was just too proud to admit I needed someone to talk to. I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

"I do. And I'm sorry too. I tried to force you into talking when you yourself weren't ready. And as a counsellor that wasn't right"

"You just were doing your job" Christine finally looked up at Canary "In truth…I'm really happy that you did. Everyone in the Team and League have been so kind to me, and you were all so worried about what happened. It'd be wrong for me to keep any of you in the dark to suffer because of my stupid pride."

"Does this mean you are ready to say who attacked you?" Canary's eyes hardened.

"It does. But can I do it outside after this with the others? I don't want to have to go repeating myself twice over?" Christine gulped nervously expecting Canary to say no at once.

But the older woman just nodded and leaned forwards.

"How are things going between you and Bruce?"

"I'm pissed off with him" Christine said, so bluntly that Canary's eyebrows rose in astonishment but she recovered herself quickly.

"How are you pissed off with him?"

"It's just he's so…so" Christine gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. She quickly grabbed a pillow and held it up. "Imagine this is dad." Christine brought the cushion to her face as if trying to suffocate herself.

"Ok that's quite enough. I think I get it." Canary chuckled as the teenager roared in frustration into the soft fabric.

"He's really that stifling?"

"Urgh! You have no idea." Christine shoved the cushion back into its spot and crossed her legs Indian style on the plush chair.

"What does he do?" Canary smiled as she eyed the brunette's now unsettled hair.

"He does more than enough. It's what he doesn't do that gets to me" Christine huffed folding her arms.

"Such as?"

"…Shall I give you the short list or the long?"

"Whichever one you want." Canary relaxed back into her chair.

Christine flung her head back into the chair. "He doesn't allow me to be alone for more than five minutes at a time. He doesn't let me go out for patrol anymore. He's not even allowing me to man the coms down in the Batcave. He's not allowing me to go on missions with the team. He's not allowing me to hang out with the team unless Dick is with me. He's not allowing me to go over to my friend's houses after school anymore. Oh and the worst he doesn't…" She stopped quickly and bit her lip.

"…ever since that day I almost died….he doesn't think I can look after myself…like I'm some stupid damsel in distress or something…It's like he doesn't…he doesn't trust me anymore…"

"Christine…" Canary stared in astonishment but the girl kept going on. The heroin wondered how long it had been since she'd told someone something like this, or in fact if in fact she'd ever told anyone this.

Christine pulled her knees together and buried her face in them like a small child.

"…Bruce…he's acting just like Papa did before he…before he hung himsel-" She stopped herself quickly to gulp down a sob, rubbing her throat as she did so.

"And the worse thing is …I'm terrified…I don't want to lose my family again…I don't want Bruce to drop me. But I-I-I can't keep…I can't keep doing this anymore… I became Swift so that I wouldn't become Batman …and… don't get me wrong I love Bruce like my own dad but…there's only so many times I can take being called Batman's little girl."

"Is this why you've been finding it hard to work with Bruce? You think he's being too controlling over your life?"

"Argh! Yes! Yes I do!" Christine cried out in aggravation. Little did she know that Black Canary was yelling victoriously inside her head.

_HA! Told you so you Bats!_

But she kept the smile off her face as Christine, scrubbed at her eyes and drying away her tears.

"I'm almost fourteen…but I know I want to live my life and live it my way on my terms! Make my own decisions." She looked down at her hands.

"Then you go ahead and do it" Canary finally allowed her smile to show as Christine looked up at her in surprise "Christine, you're a good kid and not just good, you're strong too. In heart and mind. And I know you can make you're capable of making your own decisions because I see you do so with the team every day and so does Bruce. So maybe he's being over controlling…not because he doesn't trust you…but maybe because he's also terrified."

"Of what?" Christine huffed. Canary sighed.

"Maybe he's afraid that if he allows you grow up and fly from the nest… he might lose you too"

Christine looked shocked for a moment before looking down at her lap. She pulled out her father's dog tag and held it in front of her eyes. The name of Stanley Stuart glinted faintly in the light of the room. Bruce, was not only her adoptive father but was also her godfather, which meant that her real father had been one of his closer friends, one of many he'd lost. In all her years of being with Bruce, she'd never once paused to really think about how he must've felt when her father…

"…I…I guess I never thought about it like that…"

"As kids we tend to forget that our parents do difficult things because they love us. We've all done it at some point in our lives" Black Canary said gently.

There was silence for a moment as Christine put her legs back down into a cross-legged position.

"Dinah?"

"Yes" Canary answered. She'd been watching the girl quite intently.

"Have…when you were…my age…did you ever feel like your powers…that you were meant to do something with them."

"Define something" Canary snorted as she looked back on her own past self, a skinny blonde with a hot head and a black motorcycle who used to pick fights with street thugs that even so much as jeered at her.

"Like did you know…then…that you wanted to be a hero?"

"I will admit I never saw myself ever joining the Justice League" she said smirking "But I guess… part of me did know what I wanted to do… the part that wasn't crazy rebellious against my own mother at the time"

Christine smiled, looking down at her own hands. She could feel the tendrils of wind surround each finger gently like water would go around a rock in the middle of a stream.

"I can't help but feel…these powers like I have something to do with them…before the end"

Canary's eyes widened in worry but she kept her voice steady. "And what's this…  _end_  are you talking about?"

Christine shrugged. "I'm not sure if it's an end... But there is something coming. Something big and I feel like what's happening nowadays is building up to that moment"

"Is this just a revelation of thought… or a gut feeling?"

"…A gut feeling…" Christine nodded.

"I see…" Canary's eyes hardened.

Very sinister "gut" feelings, mysterious and conveniently emerging powers, disturbing visions. Yes she knew about the visions. Black Canary had "accidently" overheard Dick and Christine arguing about them the day after she arrived at Mount Justice as their week's Den Mother. Something was defiantly brewing behind the curtain, but they were placed in the audience's seats being forced to wait until the mastermind/s decided to reveal their last act. Needless to say they were beginning to get restless.

"I-is something wrong?" Christine bit her lip.

"What?" Black Canary shook her head quickly to snap herself out of her musings. "Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking…"

"League stuff?"

"Yeah…League stuff…" Canary looked up just as the automatic doors opened.

Christine turned to see the tall muscular figure walk carefully into the room.

"Hey Conner" Christine smiled.

Conner smiled back though a little bit sheepishly.

"Hey Swift. I-I can come back another time if you guys want" He looked at Canary who was about to open her mouth when Christine stood up quickly.

"No it's ok. I'm done anyway"

Black Canary fixed her with a quick look which Christine quickly quirked her eyebrow.

"I'm sorry" Conner muttered but Christine was already patting him on the shoulder as she left.

"Thanks for the talk Black Canary" She looked back at the heroine

"No problem. And feel free to talk to me again if you need to"

"I'll hold you to that" Christine nodded

Black Canary smiled.

Well thank god that was sorted out. She watched as Conner made to quietly sit himself down opposite her. Now to sort out the Superboy.

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 23 2010, 23:13 EDT**

Christine was waiting in the common room for everyone to come back from their showers. She was going to tell them. At last they would know about her attack… well…at least about most of it.

She couldn't really tell most of her team about her mother's true civilian identity, nor could she tell them that the villain was her mother. True she wasn't the only hero present with a chequered past, but then again even Artemis's dad, Sportsmaster, wasn't as bigger threat to the Justice League as Red Queen was. The worst thing about this confrontation though was the prospect of having to tell Dick and Bruce the full truth in private. Contrary to everyone's belief, Christine didn't tell her adoptive family everything about herself especially concerning her old life.

She looked around the room tapping her foot out of nerves and caught sight of herself in the very reflective fridge door. Her dog tag was still hanging on the chain outside her clothes. She grabbed it to quickly shove it back in when the glint of something on it caught her eye. She turned it over in her hands. On one side was her father's details, very much smudged by her finger prints but on the other, slightly cleaner side was a symbol was engraved within a circle. It looked like a stylistic pair of wings with three feathers but one on top of the other around a small circle. The bottom wing was mirrored to the other and flipped horizontally so that when you looked at the two of them together it looked like an "S".

She'd always wondered what it stood for. No other military group in the world used this symbol as far as she had searched, and she had searched pretty extensively, even going so far as to hack into the most secret organisations databases. She couldn't help but feel that her father had left this one last riddle…for her…

She heard a thudding coming from down the hall and quickly looked up just as Batman came striding into the room.

"Oh…hey dad" she sighed in relief as he stopped at a corner. She could tell even at this distance that he was raising his eyebrows.

Christine blinked at him in confusion. Then she remembered that she'd not spoken to him all week.

_Damn…please don't be mad at me_

"You should be careful about letting people see that" he muttered pointing at the dog tag.

"…I know" she nodded quickly tucking it under her clothes again.

"…I talked to Dinah" he folded his arms.

"Oh?"

"She told me that you said… you were feeling…pressured…" He bristled uncomfortably on the last word.

Christine looked at the floor "I know it sounds selfish…but…I can't keep being your…sidekick" she had to bite back the anger at that word, now she understood how Roy felt back at the Hall of Justice.

"You're not a sidekick, you're a partner" Batman narrowed his eyes but Christine shook her head.

"No Dad, Robin is your partner. And a partner you trust to protect themselves not treat them like… they're weaker than you"

"I've never once thought you were weak"

"But you do think of me as your daughter"

"…yes…"

Christine took a deep breath and stepped forwards.

"…There's the thing Batman…on the field…Swift isn't your daughter…She's - I'm not like the others who will drop their old names to become something else when they…graduate from their positions. I took up the name Swift as something I could grow into…not to leave behind when I go to find my place in life…it is a part of who I am and no one else can fill my shoes and replace me…just as no one can really replace the Batman…"

Batman looked down at his protégé who now stood in front of him, staring up into his face.

Though he loved her dearly, he could understand now why her team looked to her as a leader. There was no fear in her purple eyes, only determination and hope, like the spark of a flickering flame, uncorrupted by the suffering she'd endured. A glint of pure light in Gotham's darkness and filth. A treasure finer than any amount of money or the precious stones in his family's extensive jewellery collection.

"Incredible" he murmured. "I turn my back on you for a few moments and already you've grown up"

"N-not really" she whispered and Batman followed her hand with his eyes it clenched around the cloth over her stomach "I'm still scared"

Batman allowed himself a small smile.

"But you're never alone…and you'll never be replaced no matter what happens"

Christine's eyes widened as he reached to gently stroke a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"I promise you that"

Despite herself Christine smiled.

"…whoa"

Batman and Christine both wheeled around to see the full team, plus Roy, Red Tornado, Black Canary, the other mentors and Superman and Wonder Woman all standing in the hallway leading from the main hall, looking very stunned.

There was a small flash and suddenly there was a loud yell as Flash jumped away excitedly.

"I got the picture!"

Christine and Batman both scowled, the latter storming up to the speedster and snatching the camera from his hand before crushing it in his grip.

There was a very tense pause.

"Everyone take a seat now!" Batman growled.

Everyone shuffled off to sit. Christine smiled as a snickering Dick winked at her as he made to sit down at one of the sofas with Wally, Artemis and Kaldur. Superman was sitting at the kitchen's island counter far away, Christine noticed from Conner, who was sitting with M'gann, Roy and Black Canary on the other couch. That being said it was an improvement that the Man of Steel was able to stay in the same room as his clone now.

Batman stood to the side and allowed Christine to take the centre stage in front of the Television.

_Man this is worse than making that speech at the Hall. Oh well at least I know who I'm talking to_

She took a deep breath.

"Wow…uh…sorry in advance but I'm not too crash hot at giving speeches or any of that jazz so please bear with me"

Everyone chuckled in the room and she felt herself relax.

"I know you've all been so worried about me ever since…two weeks ago." She touched her stomach again. "And I know I've been a bit…a bit of a douche by not telling you guys about what happened that night. I'm sorry. I was only trying to…I thought that if I kept the news to myself I could…protect you all from…from…"

She gritted her teeth to force herself away from the bad memory flashes that were going off in her head.

Her mother, the volcano, Ishan's face.

"…Many of the Justice League members present will know of this woman…or at least of the description from others…she wears a red dress and always conceals her face…and on her wrist is…a tattoo of a red backed spider…"

Many of the adults in the room turned still as stone.

"Her name is… Red Queen…"

…

…

…

"Come again?" Wally cocked his head to the side. Robin rolled his eyes.

"What!?" Wally looked around in alarm.

"Do not be so irritable Robin, even I have not heard of this villain" Kaldur looked at his mentor who turned away.

"Red Queen is a sadistic heartless bitch, with a moral compass driven by her greed." Christine spat. "she will stop at nothing to make sure to get what she wants"

"So…she's like Lex Luthor?" M'gann asked timidly.

Christine snorted "Pff! She is worse than him in many ways, though they have both shared a bed on more than one occasion."

Robin snickered as many of the adult's faces in the rooms blanched. Batman cleared his throat warningly and she nervously laughed and scratched the back of her head.

"Sorry, I went too far on that one."

"Red Queen is an … old enemy of the League... and of me" Batman said tersely "Originally she started out as the ring leader of an illicit arms trade, supplying weapons to enemy countries, very…unique weapons."

"Like what?" even Artemis sounded afraid and she was raised amongst criminals, many of whom were a part of the League of Shadows.

"I guess the closest description would be…creatures created in laboratories…not unlike those Genomorphs you four found at Project Cadmus" Batman looked at Christine, Kaldur, Wally and Dick in particular.

"Are you including clones or…" Superman asked but trailed off as Conner turned to look back at him. He quickly glanced at Christine and Batman who both narrowed their eyes at him behind the others backs. He coughed and continued speaking.

"I mean were there humanoids included in her sales."

"I don't know." Batman shook his head and Christine turned around in surprise. "Many of the creatures we, I mean I, apprehended were more monstrous than human. One or two could speak but their vocabulary was very limited and they chose to act more on animal impulse than anything"

"What did you do to them?" Christine asked anxiously as she caught Conner's eye.

"At first the government merely tried to imprison them in cells and cages. However one of their scientists Dr. Theodore Heron, was working secretly for Red Queen and tried to smuggle them out. With the help of a… friend I managed to apprehend him and he was put in a secret government facility for imprisonment. The creatures meanwhile were put in Cryo-stasis. They're perfectly preserved and safely locked away. No one can use them or harm them. In any way. Red Queen meanwhile vanished without a trace."

Christine narrowed her eyes slightly as she saw her mentor avoid her eye.

"But why would Red Queen choose to surface now? Did our trip to Project Cadmus …provoke her?" Robin looked thoughtfully to his fingers before looking up at Christine. Kaldur looked up too.

"Maybe not provoke her…but maybe it alerted her to Swift's existence"

"Too late for that. I've always been on her radar." Christine examined her nails.

"You sound like you have a history with her" Kaldur leaned forwards intrigued

"History is putting it mildly" Christine muttered "Though I will admit I never saw that knife stab coming. Ah well Se la vie"

"Hang on! Hang on!" Wally looked at her incredulously "A super villain enemy of the Justice League has been after your blood for years and almost killed you two weeks ago and all you can say is such is life?"

"What else do you expect me to say?" Christine raised her eyebrows at him.

"Uh…you aren't scared?" Artemis was looking just as confused as Wally.

"I was…when I didn't know who was targeting me. But guys trust me on this, I know that bitch better than most of the people in this room. Leaguers and all. Now that she knows that she has all the League on high alert she will not make any move again for a good long while. She already has taken too big a gamble with funding Morrow's red project"

"How did you know that?" Batman snapped quickly.

"She told me, but there's no point in searching now. The Volcano's explosion may have been stopped but it had still gained enough heat to destroy the underlying cables that provided Morrow his power for his machines. What?"

She looked around as everyone stared at her jaws dropping.

"What?" She asked again making many people in the room sigh.

"How the hell can you stay so calm?!" Artemis cried out in frustration making Wally smirk.

"Are you sure you aren't scared?" Green Arrow raised his eyebrows.

"I'm not" Christine rolled her eyes.

"Not even a teenie tiny bit?" Roy waggled his eyebrows teasingly. Christine tried to scowl at him but it turned into a grin.

"No"

"How come?" Conner cocked his head to the side, looking rather like Wolf at his side.

Christine did not answer immediately. Instead she looked around the room at all the faces, all of them filled with lines of care and kindness, as they had always been whenever she needed them.

"…'cause I've got all you guys" She smiled softly. "And quite honestly, I could not ask for any better friends…or family"

Christine blushed immensely as she saw M'gann's timid look split at once into a teary smile.

"And we could not ask for any better Swift" She flew up to Christine and hugged her tight.

"We won't let her get to you, never ever in a million years" she began wailing loudly.

There was a collective sigh from the team. M'gann always got teary at these sweet little moments whether they exist in real life or even in film and television.

"It's ok M'gann" Christine patted the Martian girls back softly. "Besides, if I don't find Red Queen I'll never get the chance to punch out her lights. And I've been looking forward to doing that for many years"

Everyone chuckled, though Christine noticed that Batman was hiding his mouth behind his hand.

M'gann pulled away from the younger girl and looked up at Batman pleadingly.

"Now that Swift's healed... can she come back to the team?"

Batman didn't smile, but his demeanour did soften slightly. "That's not my call to make Miss Martian, nor do I think it ever was" he added gruffly.

Everyone held their breath as Batman looked down on his protégé.

"Are you ready to go back in the field Swift?"

"…Yes I am" She touched the spot on her chest where she could feel the dog tag cold against her skin.

_I'll make you proud papa. I promise you._

Christine smiled widely as she heard Dick let out a whoop of joy from the couch.

Oh it was good to be back in the game.


	20. Episode 18: Secrets

**Star City, October 31 2010, 02:01 EDT**

Two dark figures were darting rooftop to rooftop one behind the other. The hunter and the prey. But the prey was faster than the hunter.

His long legs propelled him as he climbed quickly up a wall and hoisted himself up onto a roof.

He landed softly, his boots barely making a sound as he skidded to stop in a crouching position. His dark full bodied stealth suit was very difficult to discern amongst the darkness. Though he wore a hood over his head the catlike amber eyes glinted like little lights in the dark.

He watched as his pursuer, a man in a sleeveless black suit with a red torso that complemented his amber hair, jumped onto the same rooftop, prepping another arrow to shoot from his red bow.

Red Arrow narrowed his masked eyes as he shot an arrow with red fletching from his bow. It sliced through the air deadly and well-aimed, though it still missed the mark, merely grazing the target's cheek and flinging off the hood, revealing a mop of wavy jet black locks.

He blinked and suddenly the dark figure had vanished from his sight.

_What the-_

Red Arrow gripped his bow tighter and wheeled around as someone chuckled behind him. He saw the amber eyes, sharp and keen like a cats glimmering eerily in the dark.

_What the hell is this guy?_

"Not bad" the man's voice sounded metallic as he spoke through a gas mask around his mouth but one could still hear the amusement "I can see why Christine respects you. Roy Harper."

Red Arrow's eyes widened. "You…you're Ishan"

Ishan's eyes narrowed "So she's finally told you?"

It was more a question than a statement.

"But I bet she hasn't told you everything.

"What are you talking about?"

Ishan smirked as he took a step forward so that he was now level with Red Arrow and leant in to his ear.

"Oh I think you know very well what I mean. The mole. Did you honestly think that your little team would not be infiltrated if the opportunity did not presented itself to us? You see Christine is not the only who has secrets. Some of your other little friends have some skeletons in the cupboard that might be worse than a mere connection with one of the world's most deadly women"

Red Arrow's eyes widened but he stood his ground, his grip so tight around his bow and arrow that it almost hurt his hands.

"Putting you, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Robin aside you still have four candidates for mole. One is a Martian who could be telepathically influenced and blackmailed. One is the daughter of a pair of criminals. There is also a super clone who could be programmed to be a sleeper agent and last but not least a little girl so afraid of losing what she cares about so badly that she would be desperate enough to change sides and do the dirty work for us to save all of you. Pitiful maybe, but I could expect nothing less from her."

"She's not pitiful" Roy gritted his teeth.

"If you say so." Ishan shrugged casually "But between you and me, I think we can both agree, as men, that she is really turning out to be a real gem of a woman. I mean give or take a year for her to…develop more and I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that-"

Red Arrow roared lunging at him with a fist which missed the mark but still hit his opponents shoulder.

Ishan wheeled back before stumbling slightly. He had reached the rooftop's edge which was standing a good 500 feet high above the street. Red Arrow saw this and chucked is bow to the side, grabbing the man by the scruff of his suit holding him above the drop.

"Don't. You. Dare" he snarled venomously "Don't you dare even  _think_  about even touching her"

"Sorry but I already did" Ishan merely raised his eyebrows, looking quite relaxed. "And let me tell you it was quite amazing"

Red Arrow shifted his hands into a strangling hold over the other man's neck.

"Going to kill me?" Ishan smirked.

"I'm very tempted to" Red Arrow gripped his neck harder and he winced.

"But you know I'm right."

"Why you-"

"Please give my regards to the Batman when you see him" He rasped before muttering under his breath. Red Arrow strained his ears to hear but suddenly everything…turned black…

* * *

**Wayne Manor, October 31 2010, 07:23 EDT**

A tendril of wind blew against her cheek.

The light of her bedroom was dim, even though the sun had risen sufficiently. But that was Gotham City, so dirty and polluted that the sky was always grey even in the summer…or wait…no now it was autumn.

Christine cracked open an eye, yawned and then pulled back the curtains of the four poster bed.

Everything looked much the same as always except perhaps for one curtain that hung over her window seat. It fluttered gently in the morning breeze.

_Strange…I could've sworn I'd locked the windows._

She had just swung her legs over the side of her bed when she felt a breeze from behind her. She turned quickly and saw the door to her room was opened by a sliver. She bit her lip as she looked between it and the window and then back to the door and then…

"RAR!"

"KYAA!" Christine shrieked as someone tackled into her from behind. As she struggled against them they clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Whoa! Calm down!" they laughed.

"Dick!" Christine's aggravated groan was muffled but she stopped struggling.

"G'morning!" Dick chuckled and held her to him, plonking his chin on her shoulder.

"Good morning to you too. Was all that really necessary?" But he could see Christine's grimace of annoyance slowly began transforming into a smile.

"Well…it is Halloween…so yeah...pretty necessary I guess." Dick smirked before promptly letting her go. "Come on we've got a lot to do today so get dressed"

"Oh really? And pray tell what are we going to do this morning Mr Grayson?" Christine raised her eyebrows, but got up all the same to walk over to her cupboard.

"That's a secret. But I will say this" Dick ninja stepped so he was right behind her. "It's just gonna be the two of us"

Christine heard the thump as he placed on hand on the side of her head against the wardrobe door. She turned around, blushing to face him.

"Uh…you mean like the two of us like normal or…the two of us as in  _us_  on a… _date_?"

"Uh huh!" Dick grinned mischievously as he leaned in "A date"

Christine's breath hitched in her throat as she looked at her partner's clothes. Dick was looking remarkably more groomed than usual. His hair was slicked back matching his black jacket and trousers and black shoes. Beneath he wore a midnight blue dress shirt that seemed to really bring out that sparkle in his bright eyes.

If ever Christine turned a deeper shade of red, Dick could not remember. He cackled loudly before kissing her red cheek, winking and bouncing out of the room.

Christine gulped staring at the door as her partner shut it behind him. She waited for a minute.

_I'm finally going on a proper date with Dick….A date with Dick…A date with…A DATE?!_

She'd never ever been on a date in her life! Most of the guys she knew were her friends who she would hang out with. Totally platonic relationships. But now she was going out with someone! A certain someone who looked like he'd just jumped out of a really cool scene in a James bond movie. A someone who'd probably had the same amount of experience as aforementioned superspy with other people!

_Speaking of experience…what the hell…do I wear?_

She turned back to her wardrobe suddenly wishing that she could step into it and escape to Narnia, when her best friend's voice entered her head.

_"Oh Chris this skirt looks fabulous on you"_

_"I…I don't know Freddy…it is a bit…uh…short"_

_"Oh for God's sake Chris you're a dancer, you've got good legs, SHOW THEM OFF!"_

_"Ok! Ok! Not so loud or we'll get kicked out."_

_"We can't get kicked out, we're their best customers!"_

_"Freddy seriously, what AM I going to wear this with?"_

_"Arghh! Don't you have any imagination? Just put them together with a cute turtleneck and a pair of black shoes and you're set!"_

Christine paused for a second before promptly diving into her wardrobe. After a minute of completely disassembling her entire wardrobe she found her loot.

She quickly pulled the clothes on before stuffing the rest of her clothes back into the wardrobe.

_Alfred's going to kill me!_

She huffed as she reached into her underwear drawers and pulled out a pair of really sheer skin coloured stockings. She then rushed over to her shoe drawer and pulled out one of her many pairs of boots, possibly her biggest fashion weakness.

"Are you ready yet?" Dick's voice called through the door. .

"Uh…just gimme a second!" Christine tried to gulp down her anxiety as she zipped up her last boot.

_Right just my handbag and hair and my makeup and…oh god…I forgot to brush my teeth!_

"Are you ok?" She could almost hear his smirk of amusement. No doubt he could hear her frantic scuffling.

"Yeah I'm fine" She was now half hopping around with a toothbrush in her mouth and her hands trying to tie up her hair in a ponytail. She failed twice and groaned deciding to brush it out and leave it loose. Thank god she'd had gone for a haircut yesterday, now it fell in thick lush layers that framed her face nicely rather than the dull mop she used to have.

"You sure?" Dick was now sounding worried.

"Yes!" She groaned as she finally succeeded in putting her brown contacts on and began applying her makeup. She decided to keep it simple like her outfit with only a little concealer, a light coat of mascara, a smidgeon of clear chocolate flavoured lip gloss and to top it off a spritz of a soft floral perfume. She quickly grabbed her favourite black leather handbag and stuffed her phone, purse and compacted utility belt (Never leave home without it).

"You done?" Dick asked sounding now sounding a little bit irritated.

"Yes!" she hissed in victory as she put on a pair of rectangular glasses with black rims that were slimmer than her usual day glasses, with small gold swirly details on the hinges and temples.

Dick opened the door and she turned around, clipping the clasp of her final accessory, some small slender gold hoops, to her ears. His eyes bulged out of his sockets at once.

Christine was leaning over her dresser her back to him. She was wearing a long sleeved crème cashmere turtleneck pullover along with a knife pleated red and black tartan printed mini skirt. On her legs she was wearing a pair of stylish high heeled knee high black leather buttoned Victorian boots.

"So what do you think?" She blushed as Dick's wide blue eyes followed the curves of her legs.

"…Whoa mama…" he breathed in awe.

"Uh…" Christine blinked shyly. "is it looking ba-"

"NO! I-I it looks…HOT!"

Christine sighed in relief. She was looking alright. No wait a moment what was that last bit again?

She opened her mouth to ask him but he'd already grabbed her by the hand and before she knew it they were out the front door.

It was a clear day now, the dimness of the early morning was beginning to wear off. She heard her stomach growl softly and so did Dick, who laughed as they approached a black Porsche.

He held open the door for her.

"Hello Alfred!" she called to the front as she sidled inside.

"Why Miss Christine, Master Dick, don't you both look very charming?"

The old Butler turned in his seat and smiled at his two charges as they both blushed.

"Are you strapped in?" He clipped, pushing aside the Grandpa Alfred and inserting Butler Alfred in his place.

"Yep. All buckled up and ready to go…Uh…where are we going exactly?" Christine turned to Dick who smirked mysteriously.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"So…you're…abducting me?" she batted her lashes, pretending to look thoughtful.

"Yep!" Dick popped the P and waggling his eyebrows. He nodded to Alfred who shook his head in amusement before starting up the car.

They drove in silence and had reached one of Gotham's main roads in the shopping district, close to the harbour when Dick leaned down and pulled out one of Bruce's many silk ties from one of the car's many hidden compartments. It was a very dark shiny green.

"Wait!" Christine put her hands in front of her in a stopping motion.

"What?" Dick pouted.

"Is it clean?"

"Is it what?"

Christine rolled her eyes.

"Dick, how many times has dad left his… stuff… in the car after…y'know…" she blushed unable to finish the sentence. It took him a couple of seconds to compute but eventually his face turned red too.

"Miss Christine the tie and this car have both yesterday gone in for a good clean so you needn't worry." Alfred piped in quickly.

"Oh good!" She sighed in relief, and allowed Dick to put the tie around her eyes like a blindfold.

Bruce may have been a good doting father behind the scenes but it still didn't stop him from…indulging in the privileges of being one of Gotham's biggest ladies' man. Oh well. At least if he was having it off with women he did it in the privacy of his penthouse in Wayne Tower, rather than in the Manor. Christine didn't think she could bear the thought of any of those bimbos stepping one foot in her home.

They kept driving for several minutes, Christine taking mind of her surroundings with her other senses. She could smell freshly mown grass. She could hear the sounds of children playing in the distance and people chatting. The car came to a stop.

"We're at Robinson Park aren't we?" she asked bluntly. She took off her seatbelt and began to sidle towards her right as Dick groaned loudly, opening the door.

"Man how did you-"

"Dick, you're not the only protégé of Batman in this car" she smirked. She heard him grumble a little before he quickly stopped.

"Dick" She asked suspiciously as she heard him snicker quietly under his breath "What are you- GHYA!" she squeaked as she felt him scoop her up in his arms.

"Richard John Grayson!" she groaned in aggravation as Dick cackled loudly before carrying her off, handbag and all, away from the car.

Alfred sighed as he watched them go before pressing a few buttons on the cars touch screen display.

A ringing sound issued from the speakers before it was picked up immediately.

" _Hello_?" Came the voice of a young man from the other end.

"Mr. Harper they're on their way"

" _Oh…ok…"_  the voice of young Mr. Harper sounded slightly breathless.

Alfred sighed softly under his breath.

"I'll be waiting in the park's café if you need any assistance"

" _Thanks Alfred_ "

"Any time Mr. Harper"

* * *

**Robinson Park (Gotham City), October 31 2010, 08:09 EDT**

At the corners of Robinson Park was a large clump of trees, resembling a makeshift forest. In the middle of that lies a small quiet clearing. It is truly a very pretty place and very quiet too. Just perfect for a romantic couple to spend some time together without being disturbed.

However at this particular moment in time there was no romantic couple sitting in that clearing just a pair of two disgruntled teenagers trying desperately to arrange a picnic for two before the real lovebirds appeared.

One was standing holding a large jar of strawberry jam in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He was tall and pale skinned, with auburn hair and a pair of dark glasses over his eyes. He wore a very much beloved black leather jacket over his dark red T-shirt and dark grey jeans and sneakers.

He looked down at the half arranged picnic set on which a dark skinned boy with light blond hair, high cheekbones and light green eyes was busily trying to arrange food neatly in a wickerwork basket. Unlike the other guy he wore a dark blue high collared jacket with matching track pants and trainers. He looked up as his friend swore loudly.

"What's wrong Roy?"

"Sorry, Kaldur but Dick and Christine are already walking through at the park and Wally was supposed to zip back here with the hot chocolate five minutes ago" Roy growled loudly in exasperation

"I'm sure Wally has a good reason for being late" Kaldur calmly replied as he placed a large covered plate neatly on top of another.

"and I'm sure that excuse is that there was a hot chick at the counter that he just had to talk to" Roy grumbled as Kaldur motioned for the jar of jam in his hand. He handed it over and Kaldur quickly stowed it away as a whooshing sound announced the arrival of a boy speedster in jeans, a white T shirt and a red varsity jacket with a yellow K on his right side.

He was holding a couple of metal drink canisters in one arm and chewing a jumbo sized sandwich in the other.

"Finally Wally! What took you so long?" Roy quickly grabbed the drinks from his friend who chewed nonchalantly on his food. "Why are there two?"

Wally shrugged as he chewed "Christine likes tea as well so I asked that babe of a waitress"

Roy and Kaldur both sighed.

"-to also make some just in case she doesn't want hot chocolate"

"And the food" Kaldur raised his eyebrows

Wally pouted "I didn't eat much breakfast this morning"

"What are you talking about?! You ate an entire big breakfast at the diner" Roy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but I have a high metabolism so that  _tiny_  amount doesn't count" now it was Wally's turn to roll his eyes. Roy opened his mouth to retort when the sound of giggling and cackles could be heard in the distance.

"We should get moving they're almost here" Kaldur muttered.

After quickly arranging the drinks and a last minute flattening of the rug they quietly began creeping off into the undergrowth.

"What was that?" they heard a young teenage girls voice ask from someone close by

"Uh…" A boy's voice wafted uncertainly.

Kaldur, Roy and Wally all froze in mid step as Dick stepped past them. Wally smirked as he caught sight of Christine in his friend's arms bridal style with a dark green tie over her eyes.

"Is…Is somebody else there?" She asked uncertainly.

"Nope. No one in sight" Dick gave a meaningful look to the three other guys.

Roy and Kaldur nodded apologetically as they tried to slink away but Wally was still standing there. He pointed to Christine's mini skirt and waggled his eyebrows at Dick, who scowled back. Wally had to purse his lips to stop himself from cracking up.

Dick's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

Wally silently put both his hands up in token of peace before grabbing Roy and Kaldur's arms. He quickly super sped away into the trees.

As soon as they were far enough away from the spot he stopped to keel over laughing.

"That was Wally wasn't it?" Christine rolled her eyes behind the blindfold as she heard the loud laughter in the distance

"Yes" Dick groaned as he carefully stepped over a few sticks in the ground.

He could now see the spot and smiled.

"Ok I'm letting you down now" he told her quietly. He lowered Christine's legs first, waiting for a moment for her to gain her balance before whipping the blindfold/tie off her eyes.

Christine blinked for a moment as she adjusted to the light before gasping. She and Dick were standing at the edge of a small clearing. It was surrounded by tall dark trees, covered with red, brown and yellowing maple leaves, some of which blew in the breeze onto the lush green grass.

There was the smallest tinkling of water as on the further side of the clearing there was a small fountain with four dolphins in the centre, small jets of water spurting from their mouths.

But it was what was in the centre of this autumn wonderland that thrilled her most of all.

"OH my god" she giggled. There in the grass was a red and white picnic rug with two wicker work baskets set in the centre.

Dick smiled as he watched her run over to the rug excitedly. She dropped to her knees inspected each of the baskets. They had all her favourite pastries, jams and biscuits. They even had a canister of hot chocolate and Camomile tea!

She felt her eyes water slightly as she caught sight of a bouquet of violets sticking out from one of the baskets. She pulled them out carefully and something fell into her lap with a tap.

She looked down and saw a small white square package tied with a violet ribbon in a beautiful bow. Under the knot was a small card. She pulled it out and read.

" _Les bleuets sont bleus, les roses sont roses, Les bleuets sont bleus, j'aime mes amours_ [Violets are blue, roses are red, Violets are blue, I love my loves]. Oh Dick you didn't…" she began ripping open the ribbon and the white paper packaging.

She gasped in wonder as she finally caught sight of the iconic black and white bedraggled girl with flowing hair and a black beret on the front of the first CD cover.

**_Les Misérables – A musical by Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel and Claude-Michel Shonberg_ **

Christine smiled tremulously as she turned over the CD to look at the back.

"This is…the original French production from 1980?"

She looked down at the rest of the CDs.

All of her favourite stage musicals were there, all the original cast recordings…

She felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind and pull her back into a warm embrace

"Joyeux anniversaire ma bien-aimée Christine [Happy Birthday my beloved Christine]" Dick kissed her cheek.

* * *

**Wayne Tower, October 31 2010, 09:46 EDT**

Bruce Wayne sat alone in his office on the top of Wayne Tower staring at the small leather bound book on his desk. He'd been pouring through it for days on end and last night he'd stayed up after patrol. He was glad Dick had taken Christine on his own that morning. She'd throw a fit worse than Alfred if she could see the dark circles under his eyes.

Now the journal was laying open, its pages slightly yellowed and bent from age and the fact that its spine had not been opened for fourteen years.

He sighed, as if the weight of that time was laying itself upon his broad shoulders, before taking the book and shoving it back in his suitcase. Once he'd clicked the security lock shut and scrambled the numbers he leant back in his chair and closed his eyes, allowing his brain to slip into the recesses of his memory.

* * *

**? , October 31 1996, 20:08 EDT**

The walls were metallic, bare and narrow and very, very dark. But that didn't disturb the dark cloaked figure that stalked through the halls, silently as a ghost.

He looked side to side quickly checking for other presences. Experimentally he twitched his hand towards the yellow utility belt on his waist.

" _You might want to take a right young Master Bruce, I-I mean Batman. There are more patrols headed your way_ " An elderly British voice spoke hesitantly in the com in his concealed ear.

"Right Agent A" Batman nodded and quickly slid into the shadows of a corridor.

" _Yo B-man_ " Another voice, this time of a young man hissed in the com.

"What Swift?" Batman whispered his eyes flickering sideways to check his peripheral.

" _You could probably change your voice a bit more. I can still tell it's you under those ears_ "

"Of course you could. How long have we known each other" Batman rolled his eyes as he glided down a couple more empty corridors.

He could almost hear Swift smirking on his end of the line.

" _Since you and I were both in diapers. But seriously B it's still too close to your normal voice._ "

Batman narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He had to admit that his friend had a point. He poked his head around a corner.

"What do you think I should do?" he muttered.

" _Try going an octave lower and maybe make your voice more gravelly_.  _Shit!_ "

"What?"

" _I think someone's spotted me_ " Swift hissed softly.

"Move slowly…what is your position?"

" _They're looking around the corner opposite me_ "

Batman quirked an eyebrow and squinted in the dark as he looked around his corner again.

He saw at the end of the corridor the indistinctive figure of someone trying to creep along the walls.

"Stuart"

" _Yeah?_ "

"When I said move slowly I didn't mean slow like a stupid tortoise"

The figures head looked up and froze in mid step.

" _You bloody bastard!_ "

Batman walked calmly around the corner towards his friend who straightened up uncomfortably.

He was slightly taller than Batman, the top of his head reaching the ends of the Dark Knight's ears on the cowl. He was also leaner and slimmer in build but still muscular and strong with slightly longer legs than arms. Like Batman he too wore mostly dark costume, except his was a full bodied stealth suit with armour like padding around the torso and joints. Over his mouth he wore a grey mouth mask, with black glassed goggles covering his eyes and a smooth round cowl over the top of his head. There was only one bit of colour on all his uniform and that was his utility belt, a dark fuchsia purple with holsters for two pairs of nunchucks on either side of his hips. In the belt buckle was set a silver medallion set with two wings with three feathers each, set around a small circle one on top of the other to resemble the letter S, engraved delicately into the metallic surface.

"How long were you there?" Stuart or rather, Swift hissed angrily

"Long enough" Batman smirked.

"pff…moron" Swift huffed folding his arms before looking around the both of them. Opposite them in the other wall was a door.

"Tch! That stupid bitch. Trust her to make this place so complicated to navigate. Was she on crack or something?"

"You tell me, you're married to her" Batman quirked an eyebrow.

"No bats" Swift quickly snapped his head to look at him and Batman could tell that under all the masks on his face he was being glared at hard. "I married the woman who I thought was her. I know it's too late to say it now but I swear if I had known what she was…" He clenched his hand.

"I know" Batman put a hand on his friends shoulder and Swift sighed before he tensed.

Batman froze too as the sounds of running people far away echoed down the halls.

They both looked at each other and nodded.

Batman crouched and picked the lock quietly while Swift drew both pairs of nunchucks readying himself in a fighting position.

Fortunately there were no interferences and within the minute Batman had the door open. They quickly stepped inside and shut it behind them. They turned and saw they were in another corridor at the end of which was a fork in two different directions.

"I take the left" Swift said as he quickly dashed towards his preferred side.

"Com if you find trouble" Batman nodded.

They both darted away into the darkness.

Batman's way was absolutely deserted as he made his way down the windowless and door-less hallway.

_Something's not right_

He twitched his hand towards his belt as he heard a tapping sound. Then he sighed.

He'd only heard his own footfall.

_Why is it so silent here?_

He switched the view through his cowl to night vision.

Still the only thing he could see was the metal tube in front of him. But he could now see a flat surface on the edge of his vision.

_A dead end or a door?_

He wondered quickening his pace.

Eventually a large white door came into view.

Batman ran the last few steps before smoothly sliding into a crouch in front of the electronic keypad.

He plugged in his holo computer cable into a port beneath the keys. A few seconds later there was a small beep and a click.

Batman looked up at the top of the frame to see the door opened a crack inwards.

He quietly slid inside the door and looked around.

He was in a large spacey room that seemed to be mostly bare except for a spot in the centre that was too bright for his night vision lenses. He switched his mask back to normal vision.

In the centre of the room was a bright cluster of LED lights around a rectangular metallic box, which seemed to be open and filled with soft material.

Batman took one cautious step forwards and his boots tapped the floor hard.

The material inside the box shifted as a tiny whimper echoed throughout the room. He froze and gulped.

The material continued shifting around for a moment before stilling again.

Batman lifted his leg again and this time chose to step on the balls of his feet.

They barely made a sound.

He gave a silent sigh of relief as he began to slowly make his way over to the metallic box.

He had to quietly move aside some of the lights to reach the box. One of their feet scraped against the floor.

The thing in the box whimpered again as Batman hurriedly placed the light securely to the side before peering down.

The white slits of the cowl widened.

Amongst the warm white sheets a baby was squirming. It was pale skinned with thick dark hair that was messed up as it rolled around. Batman didn't know much about babies (I mean which twenty year old bachelor like him would?) but he could tell by the size (11 lbs and 22 inches long) that this infant was roughly between newborn and three months old.

The baby kicked hard and one part of the sheets moved away from its hips allowing Batman to see its gender.

" _You might want to cover this little one up Batman_ " Alfred's voice said gently through the com link as the whimpers began anew " ** _she_** _may not be so comfortable in the cold_ "

"…ok..."

With delicate hands Batman began to pull the sheets back over the wriggling baby girl. As he did his rough glove grazed her pudgy leg and he stilled in horror as the baby gave a big yawn, its eyes cracking open.

_Shit! She woke up! What if she starts crying! It'll give my position awa…_

Batman's breath held in his throat as a pair of orbs stared up at him from within the tiny face.

They were not, blue, green, brown or even hazel or red (like an albinos) nor were they that rare blue violet, but a brilliant veronica purple.

She tilted her head to the side as she looked up at the Dark Knight who sighed.

"Three, two one" he muttered under his breath looking up at the ceiling.

…

But nothing happened. He looked down again. She was still staring at him, her curiosity slowly sliding away from her face to be replaced by…a...

Batman's eyebrows both raised very high as the tiny tot's toothless mouth split into a wide happy smile.

He scowled as heard a snickering in his ear and knew Alfred was trying to stifle his laughter on the other end of the com. If it had been any other baby that had seen him in his bat suit they would've been crying by now.

He was brought away from his thoughts by a soft high pitched giggle. He looked back down into the metal crib where the baby girl was fidgeting again this time trying to hold her pudgy arms out to him, making grabbing motions with her tiny fingers.

" _It seems she wants you to pick her up_ " Alfred said patiently, managing to master his chuckles at last.

Batman stared down at the infant wide eyed again. Pick her up? But how? What if he didn't support her properly? Her neck was so small? What if he held her too strongly and hurt her?

The baby's wriggling became faster and her smile wavered as she began whimpering again.

Batman gulped as he quietly slipped his arms down. He slowly began wrapping her body back in the cloth before scooping her up in his arms.

_Unbelievable! I've trained with some of the best martial arts masters in the world. I can beat up thugs thrice my size, tangle with people with genius intellects and yet a mere baby less than three months old is holding me to ransom._

She stopped squirming, her smile returning to her face as he cradled her against his chest in one arm.

Batman knew he was a big man in stature but now he felt like a giant as he held this tiny being close.

Her purple eyes twinkled up at him. Bright and clear they were, framed by dark lashes and set in a very attractive almond shaped mould with prominent lids. Now that he could see her properly in the light he also noticed that her dark hair was actually not black but a very dark brown with natural chocolaty highlights, surprisingly very thick and soft with a gentle curl at the ends. Her nose was very small too with a slight button tip complemented by naturally pink lips which were small but full.

With his free hand he reached down. Her smile faltered and he stiffened.

_Oh no did I do something wrong?_

He groaned in his head pulling back his hand. Then he saw something that made his breath stop.

Her tiny hand had grabbed at the tip of his gloved finger just before it could get out of reach. He marvelled silently at the tiny digits and even tinier nails that could barely wrap around half his finger. She was looking at them with such intense curiosity that she'd gone a little cross eyed.

Despite himself Batman felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards as he felt a strange but familiar warmth fill his body, one he had not felt in a very long time.

She "oo"ed up at him with interest, tilting her head side to side. Batman watched as her eyes seemed to travel around his face taking in the dark lines of the cowl, the slight stubble on his strong chin and the white slits of his mask.

Gently he reached forwards again and began to stroke his fingers along the sides of her face. Her chubby cheeks were so smooth, soft and rosy.

She pulled back her little arm and gave a large yawn her eyes blinking sleepily.

"She's so small…" Batman muttered softly as he moved his hand to caress the downy locks atop of her head.

" _And quite a darling too I must say_ " Alfred sounded very much assured on his end.

Batman nodded watching as the baby leant into his touch quite comfortable, but his face turned grave. "But that raises an even bigger question. Why is she here of all places?"

" _My guess is as good as yours Master Bruce_ " Alfred said gently.

Batman stood for a moment watching and listening as the baby's eyes shut and her breathing turned steady and even. The warmth in his chest flared up and seemed to strengthen his resolve.

" _Master Bruce?_ " Alfred now sounded worried at his charges silence.

"I'm taking her back home."

Batman waited with bated breath for his butler's response. Finally one word came into his ear.

" _Why_?"

"Because" Batman said and he was surprised at the sound of his own certainness in his voice. he looked around the room. Its walls were bare of anything even windows. "She deserves a life better than this cage"

" _Then once you two and Master Stuart are safely out of that facility I shall begin the preparations. I must say I usually don't approve of you bringing young ladies back to the manor with you but you are right. Such a cage is no place for a child_ "

Now Batman really did smile. He could almost see the delighted look on his butler's  
face, and he could not blame him. It had only been the two of them (occasionally three whenever Stuart came over to stay) living together in a very dark hermit like existence in that large house, so this new addition would most definitely be very much welcomed.

Batman's smile softened as the baby girl snuggled herself into his chest, her thumb in her mouth. He didn't know whether it was that warmth in his chest or just another one of his gut feelings or even if it was just innate animal instinct but this child in his arms was something special. How she was so, he could not say but he knew without a doubt that if any threat of harm were directed at her he would cut it down without thinking or die trying.

He saw flashing over his mind's eye, the familiar nightmarish view of a man stepping in front of him to protect him from a gun pointed to his face. However unlike the other times he'd seen this vision it was different, and he understood why.

Why he did not feel sad at the recollection. Why his father had done what he did to protect him.

Because that's what it meant to be a parent.

* * *

**Wayne Tower, October 31 2010, 11:45 EDT**

His shoulder shook gently.

"Dad!"

He felt his shoulder shake again.

"Dad! Wake up!"

Bruce grunted as he stirred. A mass of brown and crème blur with two round spots of purple came into view.

He blinked a couple of times his smile widening as Christine's features came into sharper focus.

Her hair was down and her cheeks were flushed pink, but she was wearing a very happy grin on her face. A black haired, blue eyed boy now sidled beside her to look at him.

"Hey don't sleep now Bruce we've still got lunch to go"

"Alright! Alright! I'm up! I'm up!" Bruce grinned play swatting his kids away. Christine giggled as she pulled Dick by the hand to give Bruce some space.

Under the pretence of settling his work clothes, now nicely wrinkled from his odd sleeping position in the chair, Bruce looked over his young charges.

Dick was wearing very sharp, smart casual clothes. Bruce almost snorted.

_In a couple of years he'll be putting me to shame at parties_

He then looked over Christine. She was looking better than a lot of his dates usually did and that was saying something as the persona of Bruce Wayne was well known for his taste in good looking women.

But she wasn't another young gold-digging brat, model or whatever. She was his daughter.

"Isn't that skirt short?" he frowned slightly as he pointed to the tartan print.

"Is it?" Christine blushed slightly embarrassed as she tried to tug it down slightly

"Yeah but it looks  **hot**!" Dick grinned squeezing her hand. Bruce couldn't help but notice that Dick's smile was definitely very much happier than he'd ever seen it. Almost as happy as when Bruce had seen him performing on the trapeze with his parents.

"So…" Christine nervously sat herself on the edge of the desk as she pulled out her contact case.

"Where are we going for lunch?"

"You'll see" Bruce smiled.

As she was putting a brown contact over one eye, Christine resisted the urge to roll her eyes and chose instead to groan "What is it with you two this time? You're both being so sneaky"

"Well it is your special day so we've every right to surprise you"

"uh huh" Christine smirked as she finally got the second eye done.

She blinked a couple of times feeling the slivers slip into place. She turned to look at the slightly blurred forms of her dad and her … boyfriend (?).

"They in the right spot?"

"Yep!" Dick popped the P.

"Good" she said settling her case back into her bag before standing up.

"Wait a moment your glasses" Bruce quickly handed them over to Christine who quickly settled them on.

"Thanks dad. Now come on! Lunch awaits!" she giggled excitedly as they came level, standing on either side of her.

She linked arms with the both of them and strode out the room.

The ride to the restaurant seemed very quick to Christine, who was by far happier than either Bruce, Dick or Alfred (who was driving the car) had ever seen. When they asked her about it she smiled widely.

"I know it seems odd to you guys" She admitted shrugging shyly "But after telling everyone about that whole Red Queen thing, I feel…I don't know…lighter somehow"

Dick squeezed her hand, which he'd not stopped holding since that morning, and Christine squeezed back missing the odd suspicious look Alfred shot an uneasy Bruce from the rear view mirror. It seemed the Dark Knight was still squirming uncomfortably in his seat. It was like he was itching to hide something.

_Should I tell her today? Should I wait till she's ready? But she's already proven herself worthy….no it's her special day…I don't want to ruin it for her… not when she's so happy… but she may never forgive me for lying to her all these years if I don't tell her sooner…_

He caught his butler's eye and bristled trying to bring back a smile to his face, but Alfred gave him a solid nod that said it all

_Tell her in your own time._

Bruce relaxed, the excited drabbles of Christine turning into a comforting drone as he watched her smile and giggle at Dick's silly puns and back-formations.

If only these times would last a little longer.

_Beep_

_Beep_

Both Christine and Dick's snapped their heads down to their holo wrist computers at the same time. Bruce and Alfred both smirked in amusement and pride as the two young heros read their messages with stern expressions.

"Message from Kaldur" Christine muttered looking sidelong at Dick who nodded.

"What's wrong?" Bruce's eyes narrowed.

"M'gann, Wally, Artemis, Zatanna and Conner are all going out this evening for Halloween celebrations." Christine read aloud from her screen "I know you might have plans but Red Arrow has found some intel about the mole situation that needs looking into. If you can inform Batman and try to get him to come along as well. If not still come to the cave to talk. Kaldur. P.S. Happy Birthday Christine, the team and I wish you the best and we hope that you enjoyed you're date with Dick."

Christine froze and looked at Dick who gulped.

"Kaldur… knows… who we are?"

Dick nodded slowly.

Christine turned to look at Bruce.

"Aquaman told him our secret identities before you met at the Hall of Justice" Bruce said, surprisingly calm.

"And you were ok with that?" Christine quirked an eyebrow.

Bruce sighed "I had met Aqualad before when Aquaman first introduced him to the Justice League. After observing his character I had no qualms about letting him in on the family secret, especially now since he's proved himself a capable leader of the team."

"And you knew this?" Christine turned to Dick.

"Not knew but rather guessed" he shrugged "I mean he always so conveniently never picked up on our occasional slip ups did he"

Christine nodded in understanding but she still felt quite hurt. She'd always thought of Kaldur as being one of her closer friends on the team, especially considering the fact that she was his second in command, and yet he'd managed to keep her in the dark about this. If he knew her identity why didn't he just tell her, she would've understood.

Dick wrapped a consoling arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "Hey it's ok. I'm sure Kal had a good reason for not telling us that he knew the secret"

"Yeah you're right" Christine sighed "It's just I feel a bit silly now!"

"You and me both" Dick muttered.

"We are here" Alfred announced as he pulled into a parking spot.

Christine looked up quickly struck by a sudden idea as she began taking off her seatbelt.

"Alfred are you going to stay in the car?"

"Probably." Alfred shrugged. "It would seem improper for a butler like myself to be seen socialising with my employers."

Christine's face then split into a smug smile.

"What if your employer's daughter begged you to join them as part of the family lunch on her birthday?"

Alfred turned in his seat with raised eyebrows.

"Miss Christine are you implying that I give up my duties to join you all for lunch?"

"Al seriously, drop the butler act!" Dick cackled "You're family too!"

"Please Alfred!" Christine made her eyes as big and round as they could go. "Please can you join us? It can count as part of a birthday gift"

Bruce chuckled as he saw the butler's eye twinkle with affection at the two teenagers pleading expressions. It took a few moments but Alfred's moustache rustled slightly as he smiled.

"Miss Christine it would be my honour"

* * *

**Mount Justice, October 31 2010, 20:10 EDT**

Christine smiled as she pulled on her mask over her face becoming Swift. She looked down at the photograph on the holoscreen of her birthday lunch. She was standing in the centre with Dick hugging her from behind helping her cut the cake, along with her best friends, Barbara, Freddy, Martin and George. All their parents stood along the edges with Bruce and Alfred all laughing and smiling.

There was a knock on her door.

"Swift. Red Arrow has arrived. The meeting's about to start" the metallic voice of Red Tornado came through the door.

"I'll be right there Tornado" she called hopping on her feet as she pulled on her boot, the last of the ensemble. After the meeting she, Batman and Robin were all going out for patrol in gotham. Red Arrow and Aqualad were coming too as was Wolf under the excuse that the other two guys were getting special training from Batman and that the canine was needed to sniff out clues.

Batman had begrudgingly agreed. It was her birthday after all.

She quickly turned off her holo computer and exited her bedroom.

She spotted the android at the end of the hall talking to a tall young man in black and red with auburn hair and a red domino mask.

"Roy!" she called. Red Arrow looked up as a mass of purple and black ran up and flung her arms around his chest.

"Hey Chris. Happy birthday!" He muttered hesitantly wrapping his arms around her for a brief moment before letting go.

Christine looked up at him and her smile faltered. He was looking remarkably grave.

"Come on we better get going."

"Roy what's wrong?" she asked

"I'll tell you when we get there" Red Arrow put a steady hand on her shoulder and began steering her down the corridor in the direction of Black Canary's counselling room. Red Tornado followed silently.

They walked through the automatic doors. Both her partners and Aqualad were already there, Robin seated in one of the green chairs while Batman stood resolute.

Swift darted to sit on the occupied chairs arm, missing the smug smirk Robin shot at Batman who narrowed his eyes as Red Arrow and Red Tornado came to stand beside him.

"Computer secure the room" Batman ordered.

There was a click as the doors and windows clicked locked.

**_Secured_ **

The computerised voice announced.

"I'll cut right to it" Batman turned to look at them all. "Do we believe there is a mole on the team?"

Aqualad stepped forwards frowning hard "I am convinced there is none. When Sportsmaster claimed he had an inside source he was merely sewing dissent"

Robin snorted with amusement as he sank back into his chair a lazy smile gracing his features.

"His  **intel**  could easily have come from comparing the other villains working for the Injustice League" he put both his hands in quotation marks before slinging an arm around Swift's waist from behind.

"And think about it. If anyone on the team was working with those creepoid's-"

"He or she would've betrayed us during our fight against them." Aqualad finished nodding.

"I'm not convinced" Red Arrow shook his head gesticulating towards his three fellow sidekicks "sure you three and Kid Flash are above suspicion. But I know Artemis isn't shooting straight. For starters she's not Green Arrows niece"

"What?!" Aqualad exclaimed in shock.

"Well yeah." Robin shrugged nonchalantly "in fact she's related to- " but he stopped quickly as Swift narrowed her eyes dangerously.

She turned her attention to Red Arrow.

"So you're standing up for her?" Red Arrow growled.

"So what if I am" Swift jumped to her feet "She can't help if she's related to those kinds of people. But it still gives none of us the right to judge her loyalty as a teammate and…as a friend. Don't misunderstand me Roy." She added as Red Arrow opened his mouth to interrupt "You're my friend too but you barely even know Artemis. So don't you dare think that you have any right to-"

"Enough" Batman said firmly putting a gentle but strong hand on her shoulder. Swift looked up at him and saw that his face was tense but not angry.

"Artemis's relations may indeed make her suspect. But she is still entitled to a secret identity. However I am more concerned about Superboy. We still know very little about what Cadmus programmed into their  **weapon**. I'm not saying he would want to betray you all. Conner could be the mole and not know it" Batman nodded as he saw Swift go livid.

Robin and Aqualad both saw the opportunity and pulled her back holding her shoulders firmly. It was common knowledge to everyone in the Team that Swift never liked it when Conner was referred to as a weapon or less than human especially since the two of them were close like brother and sister.

Batman fixed his protégé with a stern look and she backed down.

"What about Miss Martian?" Red Arrow came forth again scowling "She is Manhunter's niece. But he told Black Canary that he has a few hundred nieces and nephews. And the first time he met M'gann was five months ago when he stowed away on his last trip from Mars to Earth!"

"This changes nothing" Aqualad frowned as he folded his arms "I have fought side to side with these people.  **None**  are traitors"

"That takes us back to square one" Swift sighed exchanging a look with Robin who was still holding onto her shoulder.

"This new mole intel…" She looked back at Red Arrow. "Where did it come from?"

Red Arrow shifted uncomfortably.

"From a guy…"

"Which… guy?" Red Arrow gave a meaningful look at Swift whose eyes widened slowly before she gasped.

"Oh god no!" she breathed clapping a hand over her mouth. "Not her!"

"Her…her as in …Red Queen?" Robin and Aqualad exchanged quick glances.

"Through her henchman…that Ishan guy…or whatever" Red Arrow bristled uncomfortably as he felt Batman's glare hit him sidelong.

"Ishan Shahzad is supposed to be dead" He growled.

"Well he's very much alive and kicking when I met with him" Red Arrow looked down at Swift who buried her face in Robin's shoulder.

Batman followed Red Arrows gaze and narrowed his eyes

"You knew?" he asked Swift.

"I didn't want to believe…" She shut her eyes as images of a smiling dark haired boy flashed across her mind. She shook her head gritting her teeth as she walked over to look at a wall away from them all.

They all watched in apprehension as Swift's knuckles twitched. It looked like she was severely restraining herself but failing.

Finally she burst out angrily.

"That F-ing BITCH!"

Everyone in the room jumped as she aimed a violent slash at the rocky wall opposite her.

"Christine calm down!" Dick yelled but she barely heard him through the veil of red that clouded her eyes and ears. She slashed at the automatic door and it broke asunder.

They all backed off into a corner.

Five strokes cut deep into the cave wall like sharp blades. She breathed heavily and aimed again, slicing the rock again.

She continued to keep slashing letting her anger out with her wind powers until something splashed down on her from above.

She turned around slowly to look back on them all her eyes wide.

"Better?" Aqualad said shakily as he summoned the water back to his bearers

"…yes" She breathed heavily and straightened up. They all just stared at her in silence as she began rinsing her hair. She glanced at them before looking at the slashed wall and then at the floor.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Not again" she whispered trying to hold back her shaking voice as everyone fixed her in their gazes. Even Robin and Batman were shocked.

"I'm sorry….I-I think I need some time….I'm sorry"

She dashed out the room.

Batman opened his mouth but before a sound could come out Robin's black cape whooshed past him and out the ruined door.

"Woah" Red Arrow breathed still very much stunned "What the hell was that about?"

"Whatever Red Queen's actions towards Swift were in the past" Aqualad looked at the slash marks in the wall and shudder "they certainly have left their mark"

Batman didn't say anything but the glare he was directing at the door seemed to say it all.

_Scarlett! You have gone too far this time!_

* * *

Robin peered into his partner's cave-bedroom door. Most of the room was dark the only light, the lamp on her bedside table, was dimly lit and yet it was enough to see by. She was sitting on her bed above the blankets. She'd taken her mask off as well as her boots and had buried her head into the pillow which she held between her curled up knees and face. There was a click as he shut the door behind him.

"Go away" she snapped her voice hoarse and heavy with tears.

"No I won't" Robin muttered taking off his boots before crawling onto the bed. He moved in front of her trying to grab the pillow but shivered as a cold wind blew across his face.

"Dick please" she whispered, head still in the pillow. "Just leave me alone"

Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask, before backing away. He watched carefully as her body language relaxed before taking his chance.

Nimbly he pounced. It was such a powerful spring that they rammed into the headboard.

"Di-hph!" she shrieked as not his hand, but his lips crashed over her mouth, silencing her muffled yelps.

She writhed against him trying to pry him off but he pushed his full body weight down on her, holding her arms in a strong grip by the sides of her head.

Finally he wrenched his lips away from hers. "If you think" he panted his face flushed "I'm going to let you cry on your own because of that bitch again, you've got another thing coming"

Christine opened her mouth to speak but Robin lunged back down engulfing her in a searing, almost bruising kiss.

She felt her brain go blank as instinctually she moved her lips against his. Sensing she'd finally accepted his actions he released her hands from his grip. Instantly they wrapped around his back, sliding under his cape to press against the flat in-between his shoulder blades. His hands meanwhile found their way to her waist.

"Dick stop" she breathed as they broke apart for air.

She saw Robin freeze as he looked down on her slightly shocked.

"Sorry" he muttered.

"No you're not" Christine sank back into the mattress relieved his hands had stopped moving.

"Do you," she breathed shutting her eyes as a tear rolled down "Do you have any idea how scary it is to share your first kiss with the person you care about and not know whether you'll be able to kiss them again? That you could end up hurting them?"

"I do. But," he leaned in to kiss the corner of her eye. "I did not tell you I loved you or throw you a picnic today just so our relationship could last half a month!"

Christine scrunched up her eyes and buried herself into his shoulder.

"I hate her!" she snarled feeling Robin wrap his arms around her "I hate her! I hate her! I hate her! She-that vile – she took papa and- and-She's done enough damage why-Why can't she just leave me alone?!"

The last exclamation came out as a howl of misery.

"I know." Robin kissed the side of her head as she sobbed into him. "I know it hurts"

He heard her sobs lessen to snivels and broke away to look down on her.

"Sorry" she sniffed avoiding his eye. "I-I just. I'm just so sick of her I can't think straight"

"Hey" he smiled wiping at her eyes "don't worry. We all have people we want to rip to shreds. Besides you only sliced through a rocky wall and freaked out the Batman. No big"

"I freaked out Dad?" She frowned.

"Yeah he actually jumped would you believe it?" Robin snickered. "I mean I've been trying to spook him for years but you've managed to do it in a day. I must've taught you better than I thought." Robin chuckled and leaned down.

"Dick what are you…nhn" she groaned softly into his mouth as the hands on her waist kneaded into her skin. Robin couldn't help but smirk and pulled away slightly.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this" he whispered against her lips.

"Then just shut up and kiss me you idiot" Christine rolled her eyes and leant up to close the distance just as the door burst open.

"Hey hey hey! Where's my favourite Birthday…girl?…" Wally's jaw dropped as he caught sight of Christine and Robin both tangled in each other's arms on the bed, lips still locked but eyes wide with shock.

Behind Wally, Conner, Kaldur, Roy and a heavily made up zombie bride M'gann were standing in the doorway. All were looking very red faced.

Robin gulped nervously as he and Christine detached their lips from one another.

"Uh…hi guys" Christine smiled nervously.

Everyone else just stared down at them. M'gann had even put her hand in front of Conner's eyes to shield him from the view.

"OH COME ON!" Robin groaned shoving his face into the mattress beside Christine's head. She shut her eyes covering her face up with her hands as Roy howled in aggravation.

"Would it kill you two to lock the bloody door for once?!"


	21. Episode 19: Misplaced

**Mount Justice, November 5 2010, 19:35 EDT**

Batman strode into the common room of the mountain looking grim.

It was fairly quiet with only four members of the team present.

Batman now looked away from them looking for the sight of blonde archer. As per his instructions Artemis should've been at the cave. But then he remembered she and Green Arrow had had to go quickly to catch a criminal on the way here, so logically she must've been in the showers.

M'gann and Conner were out collecting cave supplies so their absence was not so alarming.

Dick and Christine were sitting together and quietly reading out lines from a thin book.

Batman squinted as they lifted up the book to turn the page and smirked as he saw the cover. It was Shakespeare's Hamlet, both his protégé's new text for English. Dick had just been complaining about it this morning. Well he wasn't complaining about it now, but maybe that was because he was snuggled up close to his new girlfriend.

"When are we going to get to the skull bit?" Dick whined.

"That's in act two silly boy. But the 'To be and not to be' soliloquy is coming up soon" Christine shook her head fondly. Dick grinned and held her closer to read over her shoulder

Behind the lenses of his cowl Batman scowled grumpily. It wasn't like he wasn't happy for the two of them. He cared for Dick like his own son, but still…he thought he'd get a good few more years of getting to be a dad before Christine got a boyfriend.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Kaldur's voice spoke silently and clearly.

"Explain in your own words Darwin's theory of the origin of the species?"

"Darwin's theory of the origin of the species, is that natural selection chooses organisms that possess variable and heritable traits that are best suited for their environments." Wally droned in boredom.

Batman looked towards the kitchen island. Wally was sitting at the kitchen counter with an open exercise book in front of him and a large biology textbook to his side which Kaldur was reading out questions from and testing him.

Batman cleared his throat loudly and the four teens looked up.

"Batman" Kaldur and Wally both stood up.

"Oh hey dad! How was Gotham?" Christine chimed happily as she and Dick looked up from their book.

"Same as always" the corners of Batman's mouth twitched downwards and he nodded once towards his partners in acknowledgement. Both their expressions faltered for a moment. Obviously one of his cases was not going well for him to be that moody.

"Superboy and Miss Martian will be back soon with the supplies for the cave. They will need your help to unpack"

"Sure thing. So we're off to the hanger then?" Wally grinned.

Batman nodded.

"Sweet! Race you there?" he grinned at Dick who rolled his eyes behind his shades.

"What's the point? You'll just super-speed there anyway"

"Uh huh! You're just saying that because you two lovebirds wanna walk  _hand_  in  _hand_ " Wally said the last two words in an irritating sing song voice.

"And you're just saying that because you don't even have a girlfriend" Christine snorted.

"Please don't tell me it's that time of month" he muttered under his breath but Swift heard it all the same.

"Time of month or not, it certainly won't stop me from putting your arm back in that sling"

Wally opened his mouth to retort, but seeing the dangerous bordering on deathly glare she was giving him shut it and swallowed. Super speed or not he had no doubt she would indeed be able to break more than just his arm if he pissed her off.

"Sorry" he mumbled.

Batman and Kaldur both sighed, though the former's one was less audible as they began to make their way towards the hanger.

Soon they came through the doors and were greeted by Zatara and Red Tornado.

"Batman it is good to see you" the magician shook Batman's hand before turning to Christine.

"I'm glad to see you're fully recovered Swift"

"Thank you Zatara, and also thank you for helping heal me back then" Christine smiled and reached out to shake his hand only for there to be a zap.

"Ow" they both pulled back their hands. Zatara's hand was smoking slightly as a hole in the palm of his glove burned, but Christine's palm was blemish free.

She opened her mouth to apologise but the older man just smiled kindly down at her.

"Forgive me. It must be the residue of magical energy from my last spell"

"Really because it felt much more intense…more like a zap if any…thing…." She trailed off her expression becoming strangely misted over and vacant. She shook her head.

"Argh! Sorry! I'm the magic novice and I shouldn't be assuming anything but thanks for all your help."

"It's alright" The older magician watched carefully as her purple eyes glinted strangely. But the moment passed and there was a rushing sound as the bio-ship descended in to land.

_Hiya guys!_

M'gann called telepathically to the team.

_Hey Miss M._

Christine and Dick called together.

_Hey gorgeous! Miss me?_

Wally grinned. Kaldur rolled his eyes before replying

_Welcome back M'gann, Conner. I trust your journey was safe._

_Yeah…Pretty boring, nothing much happened._

Conner said, as he came out of the shadows of the ship holding two large wooden crates, one in each arm. His hair and clothes were slightly ruffled as were M'gann's, which were a blue variation of her civilian ensemble. Both their sets of cheeks were flushed slightly too.

"Pff! 'Nothing happened'.As if!" Dick snorted under his breath.

"Dick, you know the rules" Christine elbowed him in the ribs gently as M'gann stepped out using her telekinesis to hover two large cardboard boxes in the air behind her.

"Yeah! Yeah! What goes on in the Bio-ship, stays in the Bio ship" Dick smirked looping an arm around her waist as he leaned into his partners ear "Come to think of it you and I could use some quiet time toge-"

But Dick was forced to stop there when Christine clapped a hand over his mouth as Batman stepped forwards to the Bio ship.

Rule #2 on the team, never flirt with Swift in front of the Batman. You will get ferociously Bat-glared down. But thankfully Dick's comment went unnoticed…for once…

"Did you get everything?" Batman asked M'gann stiffly.

"Everything on your list Batman. Plus groceries" she smiled at Wally and Christine who both gave sighs of relief. The cave's pantry had been running low for a few days now and the teams two biggest eaters had to really hold back on their appetites until they reached home.

"Cookie fixens?" Wally now zipped over to an open box full of food.

"Snicker doodles" M'gann nodded.

"Babe you rock my world" he said dreamily as he began fishing in the groceries for a snack. "Hey Swift! Catch!" he chucked the girl wonder a crinkling packet which she caught deftly.

"Thanks Wall-man!" Christine grinned unwrapping it and taking a bite. "Thank god" she sighed as the chocolate and nutty goodness filled her mouth.

"Nice little food-gasm there huh?" Dick smirked before swiping the food bar from her hands.

"Hey!" she growled chasing after him as he went behind some more stacked up crates, just as Zatanna and Artemis came through the automatic door to the hanger.

"Glad you're back Zatan-WHOA!"

The blonde archer quickly pulled the young magician back as the two birds darted quickly in front of them.

"Sorry Arty! Zee!" Christine called back before glaring at Dick "Wonder boy get back here right now!"

Dick flipped over Kaldur and Conner's heads blowing a raspberry back at her mid flip.

"Oh yes because that's real mature" she grumbled as she followed his trajectory.

Both the super-clone and the Atlantian caught each other's eyes and shook their heads in fond amusement.

Batman sighed before turning to Zatara who gave him a small reassuring smile before casting a spell to levitate some of the crates Conner and Kaldur had just taken off the ship.

"Ha! gotcha!" Christine cried out as she lunged at her partner, grabbing him around the waist and tackling him into the floor. They thudded to the floor just as several things crashed down.

They both looked up in fear that they'd hit something, only to gasp as Batman, Red Tornado and Zatara were engulfed by a yellow light.

"DAD!" Zatanna and Christine both cried loudly in unison.

But too late, the grownups had disappeared.

Christine and Dick both scrambled to their feet, the latter holding his partner back as she balked to rush forwards.

She turned back to glare at him but paused as she saw him pull up the cave's holo computer.

After a couple of moments the computerised voice announced at large.

**_Beginning Search: Batman 0-2, Zatara 1-1, Red Tornado 1-6._ **

"Wait for it" Dick raised an eyebrow at his partner's panic stricken face as the loading bar quickly filled up. There was a swirling circle for a moment as the results loaded before red text flashed across the screen. The computer spoke again from the cave speakers.

**_Search Results…Negative. System Error._ **

"Try again" Christine grabbed Dick's arm. "Change the parameters"

"I did a full scan Swift, but there are no other life signs in the cave asides from the team and Zatanna" Dick looked at her desperate face and his eyes softened "I'm sorry"

"So that means…" she breathed.

"It means we are on our own. For now" Kaldur stepped forwards to them both. Behind them the team was assembled, Wally and Conner standing alert as if ready for a fight, M'gann in a telepathic trance as she tried to trace down other life forms and Artemis trying to console a hyperventilating Zatanna.

Christine spared the girl a look of sympathy before turning back to Kaldur who nodded gravely. She took a deep breath.

"OK guys! Suit up!"

* * *

"Swift!"

Swift looked up from her holo computer next to Robin as Aqualad strode into the cave's main hall.

"Strategy meeting?" She asked. He nodded.

She looked back at Robin who gave her the thumbs up.

"I'll keep manning the coms."

"I-I can help!" Zatanna squeaked.

"Ok" Swift nodded giving Zatanna a smile. She'd been on the sidelines as the boy and girl wonder both helped her learn how to use the holo computer. Thankfully she was a pretty fast learner, so Swift felt pretty certain about letting her man the coms.

Swift exchanged a quick kiss on the cheek with Robin before following Aqualad back to the main common room.

"How're things looking out there?" he asked as they sat down at the island counter in the kitchen.

"Not good" Swift sighed. "Batman and the other leaguers are all missing and if the kid's reports from the internet are anything to go by every single person over the age of 18 in the world is missing too."

"Have you tried contacting Red Arrow?" Aqualad raised an eyebrow. Swift nodded.

"I did but he already had his eighteenth birthday in late July so I don't think he's reachable."

"What is the rest of the team doing at the moment?"

"Kid Flash, Artemis, Superboy and Miss Martian are currently trying to help their high school friends set up make shift relief centres for all the kids in Happy Harbour."

"And the other cities?" Aqualad asked quickly.

"I've managed to contact some of my friends from Gotham, and they're trying to help but as for Metropolis and the other cities…we don't know yet. You haven't heard anything from Atlantis?"

"I've tried contacting Garth and Tula at the conservatory and I've even tried contacting the royal palace. But I've only been getting static."

Aqualad sighed before slamming his fist down on the arm of his chair. "This is absolute bullshit! We still don't have a clue of what is going on!" he cursed under his breath.

Swift raised her eyebrows in astonishment.

"What?" he looked up at her scowling.

"Nothing…I've just never heard you swear before" she said calmly, though inwardly she was kind of freaked out. Usually it was the opposite way around, she'd be swearing and he'd be the calm one.

"Because you've never seen me really stressed before" he snorted. His eyes turned downcast. "I just hope it won't all fall to pieces like that failsafe simulation"

Swift's posture softened as she reached out to grip her friend's shoulder. He looked up as she looked him straight in the eye before saying in a sure steady voice.

"It won't, trust me."

Despite himself Aqualad couldn't help but smile. Swift smiled back.

"So now el Capitano! What is our plan of action?" she leaned back in her chair folding her arms.

"Since the team is already starting to set up shelters, maybe we could spread the word to the other teens and kids around the world to help with the efforts."

"A televised announcement" Swift nodded in agreement.

"Televised, live stream the works. We need to be able to reach as many signals as we can if that's possible"

"It should be if Robin and I can get our hands on some league resources!" Swift rubbed her palms together.

"And can you?" Aqualad asked hopefully.

"Pff! Of course! We could do it eyes shut, hands bound and hanging over a precipice of death if you wanted. Total kids' stuff! What's going to be harder is wording the actual speech itself and making sure we have access to the watchtower's generator."

"Why would we need the Watchtower's generator?"

"Because at the cave we only have enough processing power at the cave to stream only to most of North and South America. The watchtower however has more than enough juice to power ten Mount Justice's. No doubt Dad and the league didn't factor in that one day we, the team, might need to use those resources in a crisis like this."

She looked back at Aqualad who was looking at her blankly

"Not that I doubt what you're telling me is true, but how do you know all this?"

"I might have… borrowed some of the Watchtower's blueprints from the Bat Computer…" she shrugged sheepishly.

"Borrowed?" Aqualad arched a brow.

"Yeah…y'know for… light reading"

"I see"

Swift bristled as Aqualad's eyebrow went even higher.

"OK! OK! Robin and I might of hacked into the League database after Independence Day! Ya happy now Kal?!" Swift blushed with embarrassment as Aqualad smirked. He grabbed Wally's exercise book, which was still lying around with his school homework on the counter.

"So…what do we write?"

So as Robin hurried into the common room in a rush of excitement, it was to find Swift and Aqualad leaning over a piece of paper and talking in hushed whispers. Robin felt his gut flare up as he saw how close the two were next to each other.

"Let Kid Flash say this bit" Swift pointed to a point on the page.

"If he can keep a poker face." Aqualad snorted.

"Y'know Kal, you'd be very surprised at how good he is at card games"

"Really? I always thought he'd be good at more physical games? Like that spinner or what's it called uh…"

"Twister?"

"Yeah that one"

"Yeah…no….it's not so much a Wally game as much as it is Robin's-"

Robin cleared his throat loudly and the pair looked up.

Swift turned round on her bar stool to face him. "Hey Wonder boy! You got something?"

Robin bristled as he tried to settle the beast in his belly down. Now was not the time for jealousy, but that didn't stop the words tumbling out of him in a rush.

"Zatanna'smadeadiscoverythatwhateveriscausingallthisismagicandifitisthenshemightbeabletolocatethesourceusingherdad'sspell"

"What?" Aqualad tilted his head to the side in confusion but Swift just stood up and walked over to her partner.

"He said that apparently the reason why the adults are missing is because of magic and that Zatanna is our best bet at finding its source using the same spell her dad used to locate the Injustice League. But apart from that what's wrong?" She put a hand on his cheek and he sighed.

"Nothing…" he sighed heavily "just hoping this doesn't turn out like the simulation"

"Ok! One of these days I need to really see what happened in that exer-"

"NO!" Aqualad and Robin both cried out at the same time. Swift looked very surprised. Both boys were looking very, very worried and terrified.

"Ok…then no…" she backed off before quickly grabbing the paper. "Rob, where is Zatanna?"

"She's still in the main hall" Robin heaved a huge sigh of relief at the change in topic.

"Then I'll take her to the training room to practice her spell work" Aqualad said before turning back to Swift.

"In the meanwhile I need you two to contact the rest of the team. Tell them to rendezvous back here ASAP. After that you must hack Justice League systems and get us access to the Watchtower's generator so that we may access more processing power and their live translation software."

"Wow! Can we even do that? Won't Bats be pissed?" Robin looked a bit worried.

"Silly boy! If we can hack the deepest depths of the Batcave's computer then we can surely get past the Justice League. And besides this is an emergency" Swift smirked mischievously.

"Damn! Girl wonder you are sneaky" Robin grinned.

Aqualad rolled his eyes as Swift winked flirtatiously back at her partner.

**Bringgg! Buzzzz! Brinnng! Buzzzz!**

"Swift are you alright?" Aqualad asked concernedly as Swift jumped right off her chair.

"Just a moment" Swift squeaked as she grabbed at one of the back pockets of her utility belt.

She quickly pulled out her Wayne Tech phone and saw spread across screen the photo ID of a girl with curly blonde hair. She immediately tapped the answer button.

"Hey Freddy! How are you doing?" Swift said calmly only to wince as her best friend's voice blasted right into her ear from the cell phone.

" _HOW AM I DOING? MY MUM AND DAD BOTH JUST VANISHED INTO THIN AIR, ALL THE KIDS IN GOTHAM ARE RUNNING WILD AND I'M UP TO MY KNEES IN DIRTY DIAPERS AND BABY FORMULA HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL!"_

"Ok! Ok! Calm down! Tell me exactly what's happening" Swift scowled as she wrung out her ear with a finger.

" _One moment we were all watching TV together and then there was this bright light and Mum and Dad were both not there. I just…_ "

"Panicked?" Swift nodded.

" _Yeah_ … _Sorry!_ " Freddy gulped on her end though she still sounded rather distraught. " _What about you? Are Bruce and Alfred gone too?_ "

Robin narrowed his eyes in concern as he saw his partners face harden slightly.

"Pretty much yeah. But it seems like everyone over the age of eighteen has vanished."

" _The Justice League too?_ "

"Yes! But enough about us, have you heard anything from Barbra, George or Martin?"

" _I called them just before I called you._ " Freddy sniffed " _they're trying to set up a refugee shelter in the Gym for all the kids in the area._ "

"Ok Good." Swift sighed in relief, looking over at Robin who was using his hands to tell her something in sign language.

_Ask her to help with the hacking from the Batcave so you and Aqualad can finish making the speech faster_

Swift nodded. It was a good idea. Though it would seem very strange beneath the preppy popular girl façade, Swift and Robin both knew that Freddy was an excellent hacker, probably better than themselves. The only thing that stopped her from doing it on a regular basis was that she didn't have the tech available to her on a daily basis. Which was probably a good thing as Freddy, like Christine, had an unusual knack for getting herself into trouble.

She could hear Freddy gently shushing her crying baby sister.

"Freddy, I know you're scared but I need your help"

" _What do you need me to do_?"

Swift sighed in relief and gave Robin the thumbs up before signing back with one hand.

_Hack Batmobile systems and send commands to it to auto drive to Freddy's place to pick her up_

She turned her attention back to the phone and said in a soft voice so that Aqualad and Robin could not hear her.

"Ok…Listen very carefully to my instructions ok, because I'm not going to be able to repeat myself. I need you to pack up all your supplies for yourself and Emily and wait outside your house. Robin's going to remotely program the Bat-mobile to pick you up. Don't bother driving, just get into the back seat and it will take you to the Batcave. Once you get there both of you go down to the Bat-computer and hack into the system. Once you're in there will be a screen that asks you to log in so type in the username Iota. You should then have access to all Bat-cave and Justice League systems. Once you're in Rob will join you in the hacking."

" _So is iota in caps, lower case or something_?" Freddy asked.

"The I is uppercase but the other letters are normal lower case. It's also going to be your code name when you and Robin work so no calling us by our civi ID's" Swift nodded.

" _Gotcha! Iota equals codename and call Dickie bird Robin and call you Swift. Ok I'll get ready. Oh and Chris?_ "

"Yeah?"

" _Good luck_ "

"You too. Don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine."

Swift turned off the phone and looked up towards Aqualad and Robin, the latter of whom nodding.

"The batmobile's on its way. I'll go to the control room."

Aqualad said standing up "I'll go check on Zatanna's progress with the spell. Swift you go with Robin and contact the team to get them back here ASAP. Also if you can contact as many other people you know and spread the word to being making more shelters. Once you've done that can you finish the speech and type it up on the cave systems"

"On it Kal!"

Robin grabbed Swift's hand and they both made their way down the corridor.

Once they were out of sight of Aqualad and the common room, Robin dragged Swift around a corner.

"Dick the main hall's this wa- hmff!" Swift grunted as her partner crushed his lips against hers in a rough lock. She wriggled and struggled slightly against his tight hold, but he held her steady, his lips moving in time with hers.

When he pulled away she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Dick this really isn't the time to be kissing" she hissed.

"I know." He frowned anxiously "But just in case this doesn't go well-"

"Jesus Christ! How many times do I have to repeat myself to everyone?" Swift rolled her eyes and grabbed his shoulders shaking them slightly. "We can make it through this! We  **will**  make it through this! League or no League! You got it!"

Robin looked into her determined face and sighed.

"I got it"

"Good! Now get traught Wonder Boy!" she leaned up and gave him a small peck "We gotta world to save"

* * *

"Have you got everything set up?"

Aqualad, Kid Flash and Robin were now standing in the main hall in front of a holographic communications screen.

"Yep" Swift nodded before smirking. "You boys ready for your big debut?"

"You bet gorgeous. How do I look? Dashing? Handsome? Say, I look better than Boy Wonder? Come on don't be shy you can say it if you want!" KF winked at her only to receive a fierce bat-glare from Robin.

Swift chuckled and shook her head. "Cut it out you two. Iota and I are going to open up the link in ten, nine, eight"

Robin and Kid Flash immediately turned and forced their serious faces on.

"Five, four, three, two, one" She mouthed the last two numbers before hitting the command for go.

Soon she could see their faces on a screen beside her.

Aqualad spoke first "Attention children and teenagers of Earth, I am Aqualad. These are my friends, Robin and Kid Flash."

Swift nodded and Robin spoke up.

"We're using Justice League tech to cast and stream to every TV, radio, computer and smart phone on the planet"

"We know you must be scared, and angry. We know without your parents there's a temptation to run wild. But please stay calm"

Swift had to admit she was impressed by how serious Kid was actually being right now. She pointed to Aqualad and he began his turn again.

"We  _will_  find a way to bring the adults back. But for now the oldest among you must step up"

"Take care of your younger siblings," Robin added "Take care of kids who have no one"

"Protect them" Kid Flash said and as he did Swift typed in another set of commands which then proceeded to translate those two words into every available human language on the JL systems.

"It is up to you to help in any way you can. So stay calm and keep safe." Aqualad concluded. He nodded to Swift who pressed the off button.

" _Not bad_ " Came Freddy/Iota's voice from her com.

"The signals got across?" Swift asked quietly.

" _Yeah, most people should've gotten the message by now_ "

"Good Iota, thanks for all your help. But I think you should go back to your home, just in case the adults return any time soon. It'll be the first place your parents would look"

" _Yeah! You're right, besides I'm starting to run low on formula for Emily_ ,  _and she might need a diaper change too_ " Freddy said sounding rather tired.

"Don't worry, we'll bring them back soon. I promise" Swift muttered. " The holo screen in front of her blipped off and she sighed.

"Freddy's going home?"

Swift looked up and saw Robin walking towards her. Kid Flash and Aqualad were both gone.

She nodded and Robin sighed.

Swift tilted her head as she examined his body language. He looked really tired.

He caught her eye and gave a half-hearted grin. "Man…and I thought 2012 was supposed to be the year of disaster? Totally heavy on the dis!"

"Yeah, so did I" Swift chuckled, walking up to him and wrapping her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist frowning slightly.

"So does KF look better than me on the screen?"

"pff! In his dreams" Swift giggled before pausing and looking around.

"What?" Robin looked down at her in confusion

"Just checking" she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to her lips just as someone stepped into the main hall.

Swift and Robin both looked up as Artemis stopped short, in the middle of pulling on a green glove. She raised her eyebrows.

"Seriously you guys have the worst timing ever!" she smirked at the two shocked birds as a whirring yellow light lit up the room.

**_Recognised Superboy B05, Miss Martian B06_ **

The three of them turned as Superboy and Miss Martian stepped out of the Zeta tube both holding hands.

Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Great another couple" she grumbled

"What? What's up?" came a voice from behind her.

Artemis flinched slightly as Wally zipped beside her, but stood her ground all the same. Miss Martian and Superboy quickly dropped each other's hands but Swift and Robin were too slow and KF saw them.

He grinned "Seriously? You got caught again? Dudes you really have bad timing for these things"

"That's just what I said" Artemis smirked. Kid looked delightedly surprised.

"Oh god please tell me you actually caught them in the act" Kid laughed as Swift and Robin's faces turned pink.

"Yeah! I totally did!"

He looked down sidelong at Artemis who looked back at him.

Swift's eyes widened as she saw them hold each other's gaze.

_No way… Don't tell me…Wally…Arty…Oh god…HA!_

She pursed her lips to stop her excited grin as she saw Wally's cocky smirk slowly softening into his actual grin.

There was the sound of someone's footsteps and the golden moment passed when Aqualad came into the hall, leading a very nervous Zatanna behind. She was wearing a female variation of her father's magician's tail coat suit with a short black skirt, grey leggings and black boots.

_ARGH! WHY KAL? WHY?!_

If ever Swift had wanted to bang her head repeatedly against a wall until she got permanent brain damage, it would have been then. There was a loud sigh closer to her. She looked up and saw Robin's disappointed look.

"Damn! So close" he hissed.

"Tell me about it" Swift huffed. "He really should've made his move"

Robin looked down at her slightly confused.

"Made a move? I was talking about getting the perfect blackmail material"

"Gah! You boys!" Swift rolled her eyes as she slapped his chest.

"Ow!" Robin whined childishly.

"Oh hush! You've dealt with dad's blows in training, you can sure as hell deal with a tiny slap"

"Not when it's your slap" He grumbled gingerly rubbing at the spot. "Man! For a girl you hit hard"

Swift raised her eyebrows "It's because I am a girl that that my hits are hard in the first place." She slapped him playfully again to emphasise her point.

"Ow! Ok that's it!"

Robin's frown split into a wide grin and he moved forwards with both hands, fingers twitching to tickle her sides.

Someone cleared their throats and they both jumped apart to see the team exchanging smug looks while Aqualad raised his eyebrows at them as if to say.

_Really? Now?_

"Sorry" Swift straightened up and turned to Robin "Pull up a holographic globe please"

"Roger that!" Robin said his fingers quickly swiping over the new holo keyboard.

The holographic globe appeared again and Zatanna stepped forwards nervously. She took out a wand from her tail coat pocket and held it out in front of her.

"Etacol retnecipe fo yrecros!"

Swift watched as the white mist of magic flew from Zatanna's mouth and settled onto a spot high up on the globe.

"Co-ordinate's locked. Roanoke Island!" Robin announced giving Christine a relieved smile.

Zatanna turned around looking worried but Swift nodded calmly.

"You did it!" she gave her a thumbs up. "Don't worry we'll find them"

Zatanna gave a small smile but still rubbed her hands nervously. "I'm sorry…I just need to…bathroom" she mumbled the last bit before running off.

"Will she be ok?" Miss Martian said as soon as the ends of the tail coat disappeared around a corner.

"It's just the stress and the nerves that are getting to her. She's not used to dealing with these high pressured situations. Just give her a little bit of time." Swift said calmly, though she too had half a mind to run off to a bathroom and puke her guts out from her anxiety.

Instead she swallowed and began typing away at the holo computer pulling up stats and maps of the island they were probably about to target. Aqualad stood to join her, watching each screen as they appeared and scanning each one to memory.

Robin joined them both as well silently keeping an eye on the two team leaders as they kept focused on the screen. He himself was feeling nervous, but he could only imagine how pressured they must be feeling, being the only two hero's officially in charge of the world's safety.

He opened his mouth to say something when…

"SHAZAM!" someone yelled.

They all stumbled back as a large bolt of lightning crashed into the centre of the hall.

As soon as the light faded there was a loud cry of excitement.

"It works!"

Swift stared wide eyed in alarm at the uninvited guest. He seemed to be no older than ten years old, with black hair, blue eyes, wearing a warm red jacket over a pair of worn out jeans and sneakers.

He grinned at them all as they walked up to him quickly.

"Where did you come from? Who are you?" Aqualad demanded fiercely but on the contrary the kid's face split into an excited grin.

"Quick read my mind!"

Miss Martian hesitated for a moment before her eyes glowed green as she entered her mental trance.

The boy stood there grinning, completely unperturbed by the fact that a Martian girl was reading his mind.

After a few moments she gasped "He's…Captain Marvel"

"Yeah and I'm Speedy Gonzales" Kid Flash snorted derisively. "Please, just because he believes he's Cap-"

"Gee Wally! Do I really have to bring you nachos and pineapple juice to get on your good side?" The kid smirked. Swift stepped forwards, pursing her lips to hide the scowl as she realised that the kid was only a few inches shorter than her.

"If you uh…"

"Billy, Billy Batson" the kid piped in helpfully.

"Right Billy. Since you're hero identity has an adult form, how did you end up here with all the kids?"

"Well…" Billy looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully "I was back home with my uncle watching TV as a kid when he and all the other adults disappeared. I tried to transform but I couldn't, so I tried to get to the watchtower to check-"

"And no one was there?" Swift nodded but Billy shook his head.

"I couldn't even get in, the computer didn't recognise me. Eventually I managed to transform into Captain Marvel and I flew here to the cave and met with Batman and Zatara"

"And they're alright?" Robin asked quickly.

"Yeah! And I told Batman about how I managed to find them and he says that there are now two dimensions one for adults-"

"And one for kids" Aqualad said with dawning comprehension. "So because you can switch between adult and child form, does this mean you can also-"

"Switch between dimensions? Yeah!" Billy grinned. "I can do it now and pass a message onto Batman"

"Good! We might be able to solve this if we put our heads together" Aqualad nodded.

"Ok then! Be right back! SHAZAM!" there was a flash of lightning and Billy Batson disappeared.

A few moments passed in silence before Swift broke it.

"Ok…this day just keeps getting weirder and weirder" she rubbed her temples with her fingers.

And so they were able to co-ordinate a plan, Billy switching back and forth between dimensions to relay the messages from one side to the other.

The plan was simple enough in words. A simple co-ordinated simultaneous attack from both teams in both worlds. Since they were dealing with high levels of sorcery they needed to act fast to disrupt the efforts of their opponents before the effects became either permanent or devastating, or even both.

But hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

Hopefully…

* * *

**Roanoke Island, November 6 2010, 02:06 EDT.**

Swift shifted uncomfortably in her seat in the bio ship as they began hovering into the last drop point above Roanoke Island. Robin, Artemis, Kid Flash and Superboy were all gone and dropped off at their drop zones leaving with Swift and Zatanna next up and Aqualad and Miss Martian to go last.

"Team Delta assemble" Aqualad called. She stood up gritting her teeth. The wind around her shifted, sending a buzz of much needed energy through her body.

"Ready" she and Zatanna said in unison. Miss Martian nodded and a hole appeared in the bottom of the ship.

The two girls dropped through, Swift using her wind powers to help Zatanna stick a safe landing.

"Thanks" the girl huffed as she hit the floor on her feet.

Swift nodded and put a finger to her lips before motioning down the forest path they were standing in the middle of.

Zatanna nodded and they both began running down the direction in silence.

Swift knew they were approaching the spot when she heard the sounds of bangs and clashes up ahead mingle with her friends' cries.

They both finally reached just in time to see Kid Flash, Superboy and Aqualad be thrown back down the paths they came. Someone cackled loudly.

Swift narrowed her eyes towards the centre of the battle field where a red dome was covering a magic circle. Inside it a young scrawny teenage boy in a black suit, with dark wicked eyes and hair styled into what seemed like two devilish horns on the sides of his head, grinned as Zatanna put both hands forwards and fired a spell.

It bounced off the red dome pathetically and the boy snorted.

"Tch! Baby magic" he snorted in an annoying nasally voice before quickly chanting something under his breath, casually flicking his wrist at her.

"Gah!" Zatanna shrieked as she was thrown high up into the air.

Swift growled and blinked her eyes hard. The multi-coloured wind ribbons suddenly appeared before her eyes, several of them swirling in desperation from within the red dome.

Swift watched as the boy turned his attention towards a struggling Aqualad with narrowed eyes.

"Oh no you don't" She grunted. With a flick of her hands she aimed a ribbon to his stomach. It bowled him over, winding him and making him hit the edge of his own dome.

He looked around for a moment wildly, until she hit him again with a gust from behind. He stumbled forwards and glared up at the sky. As soon as he saw her his face split into a wide smile.

"Finally!" he jeered up at her "Someone who knows how to have a little fun around here!" he grinned and sent a spell her way. She turned invisible and dodged it just as many rocks came hurtling towards the dome as Miss Martian used her telekinesis.

The boy turned to her with disdainful boredom. "Tch! Interrupting my playtime? How rude!"

He opened his mouth and roared. Miss Martian gasped as she quickly flew to the side avoiding the blast of fire that, dragon like, had been fired at her from the boy's mouth.

Swift reappeared and tried firing one of her wind slices with her hands at the dome. Unlike her other attacks it merely bounced off.

_OK so wind ribbons work, slicing no work!_

She reasoned in her head as the boy turned on her and aimed another breath of fire at her. She dodged it quickly but…

"OW!" Swift and Miss Martian both yelped as they crashed head long into each other. They slammed into the ground. Swift rolled over to her side grunting in pain.

"Oh come on is that the best you've got?!" he cackled as he sent a bolt of red energy at her.

On impulse she pushed a large wall of air between herself and the stirring Miss Martian, which made them both roll away from each other. Swift used the momentum to roll onto her feet and grab two ribbons of wind, both a bright blue and freezing to the touch.

She gripped them hard and slapped them against the ground like a pair of whips so that they cracked over the surface of the red dome. Upon impact there was a loud crack of energy and a flash of blue white light.

"What the…" Swift watched in amazement as what appeared to be white crystals burst into being, suspended in the air above the red dome.

"Swift look out!"

Swift turned just as something dark hurtled into her from the side snarling ferociously. She looked up in terror as a large feline beast, with orange fur, black stripes and large red eyes growled down on her as she lay between its front paws.

"…nice kitty" she breathed taking in the size of the beast's head. By god that mouth was big enough to take her head off in one bite. As she gulped the feline gave a loud roar baring sabre like fangs, its spit and fur flying in her face. She reached out blindly and grabbed a broken branch from somewhere to the side which she held out in front of her as the cat came down for a bite.

For a moment she thought it had worked, as the big cat began chomping around the branch, slightly confused as to why its mouth was being blocked. But her hope was short lived. As she struggled to get out from under it there was a sickening crunch and the branch broke asunder in the feline's mouth. It growled for a moment spitting out the broken fragments before turning its attention back on her.

She shrieked in terror, pulling her arms up to shield her face as the sharp teeth began to hurtle down towards her at killer speed.

"HNGH!"

Swift felt the cat's body heat quickly fly off her as Superboy rammed the cat down with a football like tackle. It rolled off her slamming into a tree where it stumbled around slightly dazed from the impact.

"You ok?" Superboy huffed pulling her up to her feet with one hand.

"Yeah! Thanks" she panted rubbing the frightened tears out of her eyes. He sighed in relief but stiffened as the cat's angry rumblings began anew as it reared for another strike.

"Get back in the air now!" Superboy yelled picking Swift out without a second thought.

"HEY!" She cried out in alarm as he tossed her upwards into the air. She managed to hold herself up before gravity could take its hold. She quickly flew around the battle field and spotted Artemis firing an arrow which was about to be hit by a spell. She quickly aimed a swipe of wind at the spell and it ricocheted off onto one of the tree's allowing the arrow to hit the barrier. But for all the good it meant, they might as well have chucked a pebble at it.

This was ridiculous, they'd never be able to win this one.

The centre of the magic circle in the red dome began to glow white blue.

The witch boy in the dome glared down at it and pouted angrily as the energy began to fizzle out of what seemed to be a crystal in the form of white lightning.

"So you've decided to team up with the grownups? Teamwork is so overrated." He huffed, flicking his wrists. The white lighting shifted its chaotic course and directed itself towards the team on the ground in front of the boy.

"ROBIN!" Swift cried in horror as her partner flew across her path with Artemis close behind. They hurtled into the ground and she landed running towards them, just as Zatanna came level with them.

"Robin! Wake up!" Swift tapped his cheeks sharply. Robin grunted but otherwise didn't stir.

"Artemis is not responding either" Zatanna's voice wavered before glancing back towards a clump of trees. Swift followed her gaze which led towards a large rock. Swift and Zatanna exchanged glances. Both knew what was hidden beneath and both didn't like the sound of it. Aqualad said it could only be used in a time of desperation. Well now they were pretty desperate.

She nodded to Zatanna who raised her palm and chanted a spell, revealing a golden helmet.

Swift rushed forwards to pick it up, not noticing the small glint of golden energy surround the helmet of fate at the last second.

She touched both her palms to it.

_BOOM!_

"SWIFT!"

But Swift could not hear any of her friends cries of her name. Something white flashed over her eyes and she fell…

Fell into darkness…

* * *

"Come on child! It's time to get up!"

Christine winced as something hard and wooden prodded her stomach.

She opened her eyes and was greeted with the sight of a mass of swirling colours.

"That's it, get up" the object prodded her again and a shadow crossed over her face as someone stood over her.

She blinked.

It was an elderly man with short grey hair and big bushy grey eyebrows which were crinkled in a small frown. A cane hovered over her stomach as if ready to prod it again.

"Who…who are you?" she breathed, slowly sitting up and rubbing her stomach.

"Me?" the old man's face split into a gentle smile as she stood up. "I'm Kent Nelson. But I don't need to ask you who you are, do I? Christine Evelyn Hallows"

Christine's eyes widened and she bent her legs in a fighting stance.

"Whoa there little miss! Don't blow your top!" Kent quickly put both hands up in token of peace before chuckling. "Heh! Stuart was right you do have a hot head"

Christine stopped in her tracks "You knew my papa?"

Kent's eyes softened "Yes indeed. In fact your father was a good friend of mine"

"Funny" Christine narrowed her eyes straightening up "He never told me he knew you"

"I figured that was the case, even though he talked about you often" Kent's brow furrowed as he assessed her. Christine looked down on herself and saw that she was in her favourite white summer dress, not her Swift uniform.

"How the hell?"

"It's the magic of this space" Kent explained calmly gesturing to the swirling masses of colour around them. "A sub-dimension where your true soul can exist without leaving your body."

"A sub dimension? what do you-" but she was interrupted when the wind began whipping up around them.

"Well by jove, she's early" Kent muttered brushing off his jacket calmly as someway away a whirlwind began forming.

" _She's_  early? Who's she?" Christine called as the wind blew in her ears.

She watched in amazement as the whirlwind began twisting and convulsing into a greyish translucent shape. First a head, then a pair of shoulders, then a female torso…

Christine gasped as the form of a ghostly woman became visible from the mass of wind. To say she was beautiful would've been an understatement and yet it was very difficult for swift to pin point her features clearly.

Her transparent hair whipped around, swirling and twisting, morphing back into the whirlwind which seemed to wrap around her body like a robe. Then her eyes opened and Christine really couldn't hold back the cry of alarm that burst from her throat as she stared into a pair of familiar veronica purple irises. The exact same pair she was accustomed to seeing every time she looked in a mirror.

"Hello Christine" she said in a familiar deep voice.

"YOU!" Christine pointed her finger at the spirit "it's your voice I've been hearing all this time?!"

"Yes indeed" The woman smiled down at her in what could only be described as fond amusement. "It is good to finally get to meet you at last."

Christine was about to open her mouth as something crashed behind her. She, Kent and the spirit woman turned round just as a raven haired girl in a black tail coat struggled on the ground, the golden light around her fading.

"Zatanna!" Christine ran over to her friend and helped her to her feet.

Zatanna swooned slightly. "Ugh! Swift! Where…where am I?"

"I dunno in a weird sub-dimension! But what happened to you?"

"I…I put on the helmet of fate"

"WHAT!" Christine and Kent both exclaimed in shock.

" **Yes!** " said a loud booming voice of a man and they all looked up to see the golden clad magical warrior standing amongst them. " **This child has granted me the use of her body and soul. And so did you young Swift.**   **Now here you shall both remain.** "

There was a deliberate cough and he turned to face the windy spectre and gasped upon sighting her.

" **You…** "

"Yes Nabu" she glared fiercely "And I know you are desperate to live in the outside world again but you know you cannot break the rules of Order."

" **But it is clear that the world needs Dr. Fate! And for Dr. Fate to exist I need a host** " Nabu glared back.

"But you can't take the life force of two people…of two children!" Kent yelled.

" **This conversation holds no purpose to you old man! Begone!** " Nabu turned on his former host's soul and waved a hand. Kent gasped as his hand began to turn transparent.

"KENT!" Christine cried out, but the old man's soul had already vanished like a puff of smoke.

The wind spectre rounded on Nabu fiercely.

"Nabu! You fool! Kent was right! You may be able to possess the soul of one but you cannot take the souls of two! Not unless you want to be sent to the nether world for the rest of eternity"

" **And why would you care so much?** " he snarled glaring down at both Zatanna and Christine who were both clutching at each other in fear of the two great magical forces. " **Why would you care for the pathetic souls of these two children? Unless…** "

He trailed off as his eyes fixing on Christine's eyes.

" **Your reincarnation... So…it is time then?** "

Christine looked up at the wind sprite who narrowed her eyes but nodded.

"Yes it is time"

"Time? Time for what?" Christine asked.

" **Silence child**!" Nabu yelled sending a blast of golden energy at her. Zatanna cried out her name but Christine's vision was already fading and the sounds she could hear were muffled drones.

_Time? What time? Who are you? What does this all mean?_

But her mind had once again drifted back into the darkness.

* * *

Batman looked around the clearing, his heart heavy with guilt and fatigue as he looked down upon Zatanna who was on her knees sobbing her heart out into Artemis's chest as the archer girl held her close along with Miss Martian.

He couldn't stop it this time, not without paying a heavy price and now another child was missing their parents. They'd managed to return the world back to normal…but he still felt like he'd failed.

He heard the crunching of dirt under feet and turned to see Robin wandering looking around the clearing worriedly before staring wide eyed at a spot behind the Dark Knight.

Batman wheeled around and his breath caught in his throat.

She was standing walking towards them slowly, the wind whipping through her long brown hair and the white slits of her mask glowing…glowing a bright purple.

"Swift?" he growled low. She stopped in her tracks, eyes still glowing.

There was silence as the rest of the team noticed her presence.

Batman whipped out a batarang, one set with knock out gas,

"Who are you?" he growled low,

She held out her hand, palm outward in token of parley.

" **You need not fear Batman. I am Zephyra, Daughter of the Winds and Lady of Order** "Though it was the voice of their friend it was strangely double toned with a whispering something underneath the usual sound.

"Where is she?" Robin stepped forwards glaring hard. "Where is Swift?"

Zephyra smiled softly at Robin. " **Calm yourself little bird, your lover is quite safe. She just needs a few more moments to recover from Nabu's spell. Then I shall release her** "

Despite himself Robin blushed slightly at the word lover.

"You'll release her? Just like that. No tricks?" Batman narrowed his eyes sceptically at Zephyra who sighed.

" **Contrary to popular belief Batman, not all lords or ladies of order are as greedy as Nabu. Hmph!** " she snorted derisively " **He was always a selfish brat! Selfish but powerful.** "

This comment was replied with a loud wail as Zatanna began bawling her eyes out again.

Zephyra's expression softened sympathetically as she looked down on the sobbing girl. " **Dear child, I am sorry for your loss. But please take heart when I say this. As a lady of order I can shift into the dimension in which all our souls can meet. I will make sure that no harm will come to your father's soul while Nabu is in control.** "

She paused her smile faltering for a second.

" **She's awakening now. I must go** " She sighed and gave them all one last look. " **Farewell** "

The team, Batman, Captain Marvel and Red Tornado all watched in awe as the wind around Zephyra/Swift's body died down and the purple glow left the eyes.

Kid Flash zipped forwards as Swift's body fell to the ground. He caught her quickly and laid her back down on the ground as she groaned. Robin rushed forwards to her side.

"Ugh!" she cracked open an eye before wincing. Her entire body felt like it had been crushed under a large rock it was aching so bad.

"Welcome back" Batman breathed heavily in relief as he saw her face scrunch up in discomfort.

"I'd say I was glad to be back" Swift groaned sitting up stiffly "But something tells me I won't be tomorrow"

Robin sighed and instantly dove in for a kiss. When it was over he quickly pulled her into his arms holding her against him.

"Dad Why?! Dad! Dad!"

Swift looked over his shoulder and saw Zatanna sobbing on the ground with Miss Martian and Artemis holding her shoulders.

_Oh Zee_

She felt her eyes tear up and she buried her face in her partners shoulder.

_Zee…I'm so sorry_


	22. Episode 20: Coldhearted

"Red Queen?"

"Yes?"

"The time has come"

"Good. Tell the light I will be with them shortly. Once you've finished that errand, go to your post and await the signal. Those brats and their mentors should be there within a few hours"

"Of course"

"Oh and Ishan?"

"Yes mam?"

"According to my sources my…daughter…has taken up with that gypsy circus boy of Bruce Wayne's. I think it would be wise to give up on her now to save yourself any future pain"

"Thank you for your kind consideration mam but you need not worry about me-"

"Pff! Me worry about you! Don't flatter yourself boy! Now go!"

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Creeeak…. Wham!_

_Thump. Slide._

"…Christine… Grayson…no…please no…not with him…you can't be with him… I love you …you're mine not his…you're mine not…his…ARGHAAAAA!"

* * *

**Mount Justice, November 11 2010, 09:57 EST**

Christine smiled softly as she opened her eyes to see the blue of Dick's T'shirt right in front of her nose.

"Good morning"

"Morning" he rasped his arms tightening around her.

"This is nice" she mumbled wriggling closer.

"What is?" Dick yawned.

"Just…being like this...when it's peaceful and quiet…together"

"Hmmm…you got that right…" Dick smiled too as he slid his warm foot between her own, entangling their legs together.

She smiled as she felt him kiss the top of her head and sigh contentedly. "I could stay like this for-"

"HEY! ROBIN! SWIFT! Breakfast's ready" came the distant call from the kitchen.

"-ever" Dick finished frowning.

Christine giggled though she had to admit she too was disappointed.

She quickly leaned up and kissed his frowning mouth.

Dick smirked and licked her lips for an invitation which she was only too happy to give. But it was brief as she pulled away a few moments later.

"Come on. Let's go before they come in here and catch us again"

"Let them catch us. I don't care." he grumbled as he leaned in for another go. But she turned her head and his lips planted themselves on her ear instead. He pulled away and pouted grumpily but that was short lived as she gave him a quick peck.

"I hate really hate Wally now" he muttered against her lips they broke apart again.

"What? Why?" Christine giggled in surprise as she hopped off the bed to slip into her fluffy winter slippers.

"Because he's going to get a birthday kiss from  _my_  girlfriend" Dick stretched out his limbs cat style before flumping back onto his stomach on the bed. He eyed her slim form, which was only covered in a long green lantern tank top and little matching green shorts, as she leaned into the wardrobe to fish out some clothes. He wondered vaguely how he could've failed to notice how nice her legs looked from this angle. Or how her arching back really accentuated those curves of her round tight backsi-

"It's only going to be on the cheek if that's what you're worried about?" Christine straightened up as she looked back at him with raised eyebrows.

"I don't care! I don't like it!" Dick whined childishly. Damn! If only she just stayed still for a moment longer!

Christine smiled softly at him. Dick felt his irritation melt at once. Forget her curves. Her smile was the best.

"It's really sweet that you care Dick…but could you please turn around now? I need to get dressed"

She held up a regular black bra in her hand to emphasise the point. Usually this would've been the signal for Dick's face to go red and for him to scamper out of the room. However he just lay there on the bed and stared at her blankly…and then smirked.

"Shouldn't there be a thong to match that?"

Christine's eyes narrowed so dangerously and so fast that Dick gulped. But before she could take any action something horrible happened.

Christine suddenly cried out and her legs buckled beneath her.

"Chris!" Dick scrambled to look over the side of the bed as she fell to the floor on her butt.

"I'm ok" she called but then gasped.

"What's wro-" Dick stopped short.

Christine was sitting on something cold and reflective beneath her. It looked like a mirror, but glass did not have snow white fractals criss-crossing over its surface, nor did it spread out over the ground and chill the air.

"Is that…ice?" Dick's eyes widened.

"I…I think so…" Christine trembled still in shock from her fall. Dick swung his legs off the side of the bed and carefully put his feet on it.

"Yikes! Cold! Cold!" he pulled them up quickly. Yep that was ice alright. He rubbed his toes and looked at Christine. She was looking down at the ice with an expression he was coming to be familiar with…pure utter terror.

But unlike the other times where she'd run off after her powers affected someone, she was just staring down at her own reflection in the ice trembling.

It was her that had made it. She was sure of it. Ever since that mission to Roanoke Island frost had been appearing on nearly everything she'd touched when she was even in the slightest bit aggravated, even with people, even Dick and Bruce and Alfred.

"I hate this" she mumbled pulling her knees into her chest. "I hate this…"

Dick slid off the bed carefully till he was on his knees on the ground ignoring the freezing cold. He slid carefully over the ice towards her, as she shivered.

"Why can't I just be normal and not a freak?"

"Don't say that!" He muttered as he took her hands away from her face and blew into them like one would to ward off cold. She looked up at him wide eyed.

"Don't you ever say that ever again. You are not a freak. Never have been, never will be. And I won't take anyone calling you that not even yourself. You hear me?"

She blushed bright pink as he at her with a deep serious expression that she'd never seen there before. She'd never before appreciated how beautifully blue his eyes were. They were cerulean, a lighter shade on the outside and deeper on the inside. And in his seriousness the depths were deeper than she'd ever imagined.

**_BANG!_ **

"Robin! Swift! Where are you? I've been calling you four times now!" it was M'gann and she sounded rather pissed off.

"We're right here!" Christine called out still gazing into Dick's eyes but then he shut them tight and buried his face into her shoulder to hide his face. M'gann, Conner, Artemis and Zatanna still didn't know his secret ID and he wasn't given permission from batman to tell them so he still had to hide his face.

M'gann came around the bed to look at them and her eyes widened with shock.

"What the! Why is there ice on the floor?"

"My…powers" Christine mumbled sounding embarrassed. "I accidently made…on the floor… and we slipped and now we can't… get… off"

M'gann's face softened a little as she noticed the small tear track on the younger girls face.

"I'll put you both on the bed ok?"

"Ok." There was the familiar strange sensation of floating as M'gann used her telekinesis to pick both Dick and Christine up as they were then and gently place them on the bed, along with the clothes Christine had dropped on the floor.

She quickly left without a word.

Christine was grateful she did as she did not want her to see any more of her embarrassment.

"Is she gone" Dick mumbled into her shoulder.

"Yes" Christine sighed.

"Oh thank god!" Dick pulled away and looked down at her. "I still don't like that you're going to kiss Wally on the cheek y'know"

"Oh for goodness sake! You're still upset about that?" Christine groaned in exasperation as she scrubbed her eyes.

"I am very upset about that" Dick said in absolute seriousness. "I don't want any other guy to kiss you except for me."

Christine cupped his face in her hands.

"And I don't want any other guy to kiss me except you"

_As romantic as this is_

M'gann's voice wafted into both their minds. They both winced a little at the snap in her tone.

_Could you both get over and eat before you're food gets cold! We have a schedule to follow!_

_Yes mam!_  Dick responded sarcastically before turning back to Christine and kissing the tip of her nose.

* * *

**Mount Justice, November 11 2010, 16:05 EST**

_He's in_

M'gann informed the team over the mental link.

Christine and Dick both stood in the shadows of the darkened common room. Both were wearing their civies. Dick was in his usual dark jeans, jacket and green sweater and Christine in a long sleeved white knitted jumper with matching beanie with a periwinkle blue dress beneath and black tights and boots.

They held back the urge to snicker as they heard their favourite speedster's voice echo down the corridor.

"It'd be a tragedy if I missed my own-"

"SURPRISE"

"WHA!" Wally mock screamed "Aw you guys! Ya shouldn't have"

"Yeah not like you haven't been hinting for days or anything" Dick pushed up his shades further up his nose frowning

"Well surprise or no surprise it's still your special day" Christine smiled fondly shaking her head.

"So does this mean I get special treatment Missy?" Wally grinned waggling his eyebrows at the girl wonder.

She sighed and walked over to him. "At the risk of pissing off my overprotective boyfriend yes you do"

She stood on her tip toes and pecked Wally on the cheek. "Happy B'day Wally"

Wally grinned gave her a hug in return.

As he looked up to thank the others again he caught the nasty scowl on his best friends face.

Christine smirked and leaned up to stage whisper in his ear.

"Dick's just jealous because you're not hugging him"

"WHAT!" Dick cried out alarmed. "NO!"

"Aww! Come here bud! Time to feel the love" Wally's face split into a wicked grin as he let go of Christine and sped over to Dick.

Flash, Conner, Artemis, Zatanna and Aqualad all burst out laughing as the speedster grabbed the struggling boy wonder in a massive hug.

"Dude you're as light as a princess! What the hell!" Wally cried out before picking Dick up and twirling him in the air.

"I know you, I know you from once upon a dream"

"You traitor!" he pointed to Christine who was giggling madly as she sang the Disney song before she was dragged Artemis who was doubled up with laughter.

There was the flash of a camera as M'gann caught the shot.

"NOOOO!" Dick howled angrily as he was spun again.

"I'm sorry Dick, couldn't resist" Christine hiccupped.

"Dude seriously Chillax! It was just a peck!" Wally laughed putting a huffing Dick down and clapping him on the back "Besides you get to make out with her on a daily basis so who really wins here?"

"Well when you put it that way" Dick grumbled but he smirked despite himself. He couldn't really remain mad at Wally for long.

Kaldur chuckled stepping forwards as Wally ruffled Dick's hair.

"Happy Birthday Wally" he reached forwards to shake Wally's hand but was yanked right into a hug instead.

The rest of the birthday greetings went on like this, with Wally hugging everyone even Artemis, though that was purely accidental as Wally's eyes were shut and he thought he was hugging M'gann. It wasn't until M'gann popped out of the kitchen hovering all the party food up over the counter with her telekinesis that Wally opened his eyes to see a very shocked archer in his arms.

Dick grabbed the camera and clicked it twice just in time, because the next minute they let go quickly and brushed themselves off, both slightly pink.

"Oh…revenge is  _sweet_ " Dick grinned.

"Whatever you say  _princess_ " Wally glared at him and poked his tongue out as he flumped to sit in front of the coffee table which was laden with all his favourite snacks and his presents.

"Yeah! Real mature you two" Christine, Conner and Kaldur all rolled their eyes in unison.

"We made two cakes" M'gann giggled as placed a party hat over Wally's head.

"Awsome! What will you guys eat?" he looked up at them excitedly.

"We'll split the cupcake" M'gann smiled down at him "Make a wish"

"Way ahead of you" he waggled his eyebrows at her.

Everyone clapped and cheered happily as Wally then blew out the candles on both the cakes.

"I'm just amazed he hasn't figured it out yet. Everyone else has" Dick muttered.

"Actually I didn't figure it out" she laid her head on Dick's shoulder and sighed contentedly smiling "Conner told me right after they got together"

"Really?"

"Yep. Oh god! He's impossible" Christine chuckled as the birthday boy made another pass at M'gann.

"Y'know if I tell you my wish it won't come true. But if you guess…"

M'gann handed him a slice of cake. Christine noticed that Artemis's face turned sour as the speedster grinned.

"Nope! Guess again"

M'gann kissed Wally's forehead much to his disappointment and to Artemis's smugness.

"Well, well, well what have we here?" Christine and Dick both exchanged sly grins.

The party went on smoothly and eventually Dick and Artemis were having a conversation about their mentors and comparing their teaching styles when Christine looked around the room again.

She saw Zatanna standing alone in a corner, shoulders slightly hunched.

Christine walked over to cut a slice of one of the cakes, before walking over to the girl.

"Hey," she smiled softly as Zatanna turned round to face her. She handed her the slice of cake which was taken with a small smile.

"Thanks."

"So are you settling in here ok?" Christine asked gently.

"Oh yeah" Zatanna sighed heavily looking around the room "Just like home"

"I know it's all intimidating and a bit weird and new but don't worry" Christine's smile widened mischievously "Someday you'll get used to seeing Wally demolishing food like Godzilla"

Zatanna burst out into loud giggles as said speedster stuffed a large piece of cake in his mouth with his hands.

_Oh…if only Alfred were here…he'd sort him out good and proper_

Christine cringed as Wally chewed with bulging cheeks, when Artemis and Dick both came striding over.

"Think we should tell him?" Artemis jerked her head just as Wally grinned again at M'gann as she handed him another slice of cake.

"You're getting warmer babe. But I could make you warmer still"

"Oh that's just sad…even by his standards" Christine face palmed.

"Well he is the only one who doesn't know" Dick grinned

"then please" Artemis smirked "Allow me"

She stepped forwards and Dick, Christine and Zatanna all watched as she leaned in to whisper in the speedsters ear.

He looked up just in time to see M'gann wiping Conner's lips that were covered in frosting with her thumb before giggling and licking it off her finger playfully.

"Awww man!" he groaned in disappointment.

**_Beep beep!_ **

Everyone looked up to the ceiling as Batman's voice issued through the speakers.

" ** _Attention Team. Suit up. Polar Stealth. Mission briefing in five_** "

Christine looked at Dick who squeezed her hand before dashing off to his room.

* * *

Swift stepped into the mission room still wriggling her feet around in a pair of white heavy combat boots. Unlike her normal dark uniform, her polar stealth uniform consisted of a white leotard with light grey legs and arms with white combat boots and matching white utility belt and garters. Her head too was completely covered by a full face white ninja mask that she wore over her black domino mask so that her entire body, face and all was covered.

The suit and mask were fine but the boots were heavier than her usual ones making her steps slightly more clunky than normal.

"Everyone step back, the snow ninja has arrived" Wally cheered as he caught sight of the headgear.

"Damn straight" Christine gave him a thumbs up to show she was happy, since no one could actually see her fond grin as she went over to stand beside Aqualad who was in a white and black version of his regular uniform.

She looked around at her teammates. Most of them were like Aqualad, decked out in white and grey variations of their uniforms with only Artemis, Zatanna and Robin bearing any significant changes to their costumes, with Zatanna and Artemis wearing hooded and cloaked jackets over their heads and Robin wearing a white fitted cowl over his head.

There was a moment's silence before Batman's face appeared on a holographic screen in front of them all.

"Hey! Where's Flash?" Wally suddenly looked around slightly worried that his mentor wasn't there anymore.

"Flash and Red Tornado already have their assignments" Batman said before tilting his shoulders as if turning something in his hands.

Swift raised her eyebrows as the screen tilted slightly allowing her to see the batplane.

"A massive ice storm has paralysed North America from coast to coast. Satellite imagery has detected five flying…ice fortresses source unknown which seem to be responsible and must be stopped"

Swift's eyes narrowed as a holographic image of a strange construction billowing out white snow came up in front of them.

"Well can't the watchtower just blast them out of the sky or something?" Wally asked Batman.

"What's a Watchtower?" Zatanna looked around in confusion

"Wally" Swift groaned pinching her nose in aggravation as Batman sighed heavily.

"The leagues orbiting headquarters is  **not** weaponized. And with both Green Lantern's off-world I need all hands on deck"

"So wait hang on you don't mean to say-" Swift's eyes widened with dawning comprehension

"The league and the team working side by side" Robin finished grinning.

"WOAH! REALLY?!" Kid Flash looked like Christmas had come early.

Batman's stature relaxed slightly before he turned his gaze on Superboy.

"Superboy, use the Super Cycle to rendezvous with the Batplane at Ice Fortress-1. You'll drop off Robin, Swift and Aqualad then continue up with Wolf to meet up with Black Canary and Red Tornado at ice fortress two. Miss Martian, Artemis and Zatanna take the bio ship and rendezvous with Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter at ice fortress-3. Other Leaguers will deal with fortresses four and five."

"Uh Batman? I think you skipped me" Kid Flash looked up hopefully.

"Kid Flash" Batman turned his attention to the speedster "A young girl in Seattle is in desperate need of a heart transplant. With all conventional air traffic grounded by the storm you'll need to pick up the donor heart in Boston and run it three thousand miles across country"

Swift watched with pity as KF's face fell from joy into one of despair.

"Who is this girl?"

"Does it matter?" Batman's eyes narrowed and everyone shuddered.

"No. of course not" Kid grumbled "But can't we Zeta-"

"Zeta tubes are offline" Robin cut across his best friend gently "sorry"

"Right…then how can I say no? Guess I won't be needing stealth." but swift could tell Wally's heart was not in it as he tapped the insignia on his uniform, morphing it back into the signature red and yellow.

"Speedy delivery boy…at your service"

There was a beep from Swift's holo computer "Co-ordinate's received" she nodded to Batman who nodded back.

"Good. Batman out." He shut off the connection just as Wally groaned, his face falling even lower.

_Poor Wally…and on his birthday too…_

Swift's face softened.

* * *

**Ice Fortress-1 Chicago, November 11 2010, 16:49 CST**

Swift was flying above the Super Cycle in which Robin, Superboy, Aqualad and Wolf were seated in when she saw the Bat plane in the distance circling a large floating fortress that streamed out snow and wind from its base.

She tapped her com.

"Boy's I've spotted the Bat-plane"

" _We see it too_ " Aqualad agreed

" _I'll steer you guy's closer_ " Superboy said before turning the Super Cycle forty five degrees left heading straight for the fortress top.

" _Should be able to stick a landing from six feet_ " Robin muttered.

"Don't take any chances Wonder Boy" Swift frowned as they almost came level with the Batplane's trajectory "You've got a long drop if you miscalculate"

" _Batman to Swift, Robin and Aqualad. I'm going to drop on the east side with Aquaman and Flash. You three rendezvous with us at that point_."

"Roger Batman." The three teens nodded as Superboy hovered the cycle above the fortress. Robin and Aqualad both jumped off landing with a roll whilst Swift kept to the air, giving Wolf a quick scratch behind the ear as she rushed to join her partner and team leader.

Several guns went off as the three teens ran around towards the east point of the fortress.

Soon they reached a sheltered area where Aquaman had pulled up several of the metal panels of the floor and used them to make a makeshift dome to shield himself, Flash and Batman from the blasts.

"So what's the plan?" Robin asked as he pushed a scowling Swift in first undercover. The action did not go unnoticed by Batman who saw that both the boys were crouching over the girl wonder to shield her from the gunfire.

"It's simple, you, Aqualad, Batman, Aquaman and I will be a distraction for the guns while Swift uses her invisibility and get inside the fortress and find out what's going on there" Flash said quickly.

"Then what do I do?" Swift asked confused.

"You do whatever you deem to be right." Aquaman grunted as the metal around them shook as another hard blast hit it.

Swift looked at Batman with raised eyebrows "seriously of all the times you choose for me to take the lead you choose now?"

"It was the most logical choice given your abilities" Batman narrowed his eyes. He did not feel comfortable with the plan at all but there wasn't anything else they could really do. "Try and not get seen. Keep your com on and contact us at once if you need help"

"I thought those were a given?" Swift smirked. It was almost as if he couldn't help himself, he had to do the fatherly thing and lay down the rules before she went out and did her own thing.

She sighed "You don't always have to worry like this y'know. I'll be fine"

Batman narrowed his eyes sternly "It's my job to worry. Don't you remember what happened the last time you said that sort of thing?"

Swift's face fell slightly as the memory of the volcano and Red Queen came back to her mind's eye.

"Just be careful and keep us in the loop" he growled low so that only she could hear the slight quaver of concern in his voice.

_Wow! I always knew he was upset about that whole Red Queen thing but I never expected him to take it that badly_

Swift took a deep breath and nodded slowly to show that she'd understood

"Ok I will"

She turned to Robin and Aqualad who were assessing the conditions outside

"What have we got out there?"

"Blasters, laser cannons, the works." Robin said frowning as he pulled up a holo map of the fortress.

"Any openings you can see?"

"Only windows and they seem to be located further up towards the top" Aqualad pointed at the top of the hologram

"Great" Swift muttered darkly as she took in the ratio from the computer. "They're small too"

"You're small" Robin smirked and she narrowed her eyes.

"Just because you're a couple of inches taller than I am-"

"Batman I can't keep this barrier up! It can't take anymore" Aquaman called out.

"Get ready" Batman barked as Flash zoomed out ahead.

"evasive Manoeuvre five" Aqualad barked and him, Robin and Swift crouched low in three different directions back to back, prepped for a running start.

"Let it go Aquaman" Batman growled, positioning himself in the fourth place.

As the barrier dropped Swift turned invisible and leapt into flight at once. She kept low to the ground of the fortress, using the winds to speed herself up the sides of the fortress. The flight was easy enough and she smiled as she saw Robin come to Batman's aid by flinging a birdarang at one of the guns.

She blinked hard and summoned the wind ribbons. To her surprise there were a lot of blue ones in her sight and very little of the other colours. She tweaked them with her mind as she flew, increasing her speed as she streamlined her body to fit through a window three floors down from the top of the fortress.

She slipped through the window with ease and hovered inside for a moment before silently dropping into a low crouch. She looked around cautiously.

She seemed to have landed on the edge of a large balcony that extended around the cylindrical shape of the fortress. In the middle of the structure was a large pillar glowing a strong blue light, eliminating the need for lights along the walls.

Swift narrowed her eyes as she crept silently over to the edge of the balcony and saw that the pillar was reachable via four thin bridges that spanned the radius between the pillar and balcony.

She looked over the edge of the balcony and saw several other floors beneath matching the structure of the one she was on.

_Hold on a moment…where is everyone?_

A machine this big but not one person inside to control it?

She put her hand to her ear com pulling down her mouth mask so that her voice was not muffled.

"Bats, Aqua's, Flash" she hissed stepping away from the edge and back to the window "Guys do you copy?"

" _Right here kid_ " Flash called out.

" _Both Aqua's are online_ " Aqualad confirmed his and Aquaman's presence.

" _Both Bats are here loud and clear_ " she heard her partner's gleeful voice call out loudly. " _Did you find anything_?"

"I did and I didn't" Swift's eyes darted around the empty space "there is something inside here that's controlling the fortress but no one's around to steer it or monitor it"

The silence suddenly hit her ear drums like a clap of thunder as an unnatural chill went up her spine.

_There's something very wrong here…something's very-_

" _Are you the only one inside_?" Batman grunted and Swift heard a couple of thuds as if he was hitting something tough.

She walked back over to look over the railings at the pylon. Not a soul in sight.

"I think so but…I don't know…" Swift gulped as the chill up her spine suddenly spiked making the hairs on the back of her neck standing up on end

"…guys…I think I need back-AHH -Hmf!"

Swift's yell was muffled as a large hand clapped itself over her mouth from behind.

" _Swift!_ " five voices cried out in her ear as another hand pulled her arm back in a painful lock.

She struggled reappearing as she lost focus on her invisibility powers as she attempted to thrust her hips backwards into the person's stomach to release herself from their grip. They grunted from the strain and effort but didn't budge.

She growled in irritation, and pulled up her knee, driving the heel of her combat boot into her attacker's foot hard whilst at the same time biting the gloved fingers over her mouth. They gave a cry of anger but still didn't let go and they grabbed her around the shoulders instead.

" _Swift get out of there now!_ " Batman barked through the com.

Using their body weight and the arm as an anchor she swung her legs forwards and kicked them both back. She felt her feet hit the attacker's thighs hard. Their grip slackened and she dropped her legs and pushed them both backwards fast till they had rammed into the wall. As soon as they hit she pulled back both her elbows simultaneously to deliver two strikes to their stomach. There was a grunt of pain and her attacker let go at once. She dropped into a crouch and spun, flicking her leg out at the last part of the turn to sweep the attacker off their feet to slump on the ground before she dashed over to the window.

But she was only halfway there when the attacker flung something round at her. She ducked but it caught both her hands as she reached out for the window ledge. The round object then split open revealing two weights joined by a black line. They wrapped around her hands and arms binding them tight as the hand of her attacker grabbed at her ankle, tripping her, but also pulling them down to the floor as well. She fell flat on her face painfully. The floor was hard and cold and very smooth. She struggled to get up but the hand around her ankle twisted hard.

She looked back and kicked hard at the mysterious shadowy figure half hidden in the shadows who used her ankle as an anchor to drag himself over to her. She kicked and he slid back away from her.

She struggled to her knees trying to get to her feet as she turned her attentions to unbinding her arms. However as she was half way there she caught the sound of rough breathing from behind. She turned and caught a glimpse of amber eyes from beneath a hood as he came into the light of the window and saw the small scar over his lips.

"Ishan…"

She gasped as Ishan gave her a cold smile.

There was a moments silence as she caught her breath, looking him up and down.

When she'd first seen him back at Yellowstone she thought she'd been dreaming, or was extremely delirious from the blood loss.

The face was the same, catlike eyes, the scar, the dark locks everything. Except it could not be. He was taller much taller than she remembered, lean and muscled with a lithe physique, garbed in a pure black full body stealth Kevlar suit with a loose hood and thin dark grey details over the lining of his joints and torso.

"Hello Christine" he said.

" _Swift what is going on!_ "

 _"Missy can you hear me!_ "

Robin's and Aqualad's voices both sounded very worried as they both called out her name in her ear. But she was too distracted by her shock to hear either of their voices

_No…It can't be…_

Tears came to her eyes as confusion mixed with grief, terror and strangely enough...joy…

"But you…You died…back at the…I saw your body…she killed you I saw her do it…"

"She brought me back…And now I can be here…with you" Ishan's smile softened, the amber eyes now brimming with warmth and affection as he reached out with a steady hand.

"Ishan…" Swift backed away, a little afraid, as his fingers stroked the portion of her ninja mouth out of the way tenderly.

"You're not the only one who's grown up too y'know. You don't have to rely on those…Justice Leaguers and their silly little sidekicks anymore…I'll protect you…I'd die…I'd kill to keep you safe…love you…give you the entire world and have it wait on you hand and foot…and when the world is taken, I could get rid of that witch and we could live together in peace as rulers of this dismal planet. Just you and m-"

"No Ishan" Swift shook her head and backed away. "I can't"

"Why not?" Ishan's eyes narrowed with hurt and anger "Is it that boy? That…Robin?"

Swift could tell that even though his voice was even, he was positively desperate to spit out the name with venom.

"So that's it then…I'm out of the picture for a few years and you forget about everything we had! What I felt towards you! That little gypsy trash! I should've done away with him first then shouldn't I?"

But he faltered as she shook her head still backing away from him with wide eyes.

"No Ishan. Yes Robin and I are together and yes I do love him…with all my heart… But that's not the reason I can't return your feelings. I just…this person you are now…this is not the person I cared about…this is not the guy who'd carry me to papa's office when I'd get a scrape on the knee…not the one that used to tell me stories and myths about dragons and monsters or taught me all the names of the constellations…that boy… that friend I lost…he's not there anymore and I can't see a shred of his true essence in…whatever you've become…I'm sorry"

Ishan's glare became positively deadly.

"I'm sorry too Christine"

Swift gulped as he took a menacing step forwards the sound reverberating on the dark fortress floor.

"But I'm not going to let you go this time... Not when I have the power and means to win you back!"

"I'm not your prize…I belong to no one" Swift straightened up trying to sound like her usual proud heroic self, though she could feel her façade slipping as she saw him smirk. It was a dark thing…an evil thing…more frightening than a look of rage.

"You say that now…" He licked his lips. "But I'll make you see things my way"

"Not bloody likely" her eyes narrowed.

_Time to disappear_

In a quick motion Swift flung down a smoke pellet at her feet engulfing her form in dark smoke.

"AH!"

She looked down through the clearing smoke and saw that Ishan had taken a dive and grabbed her ankle tight again with both hands positioned on either side.

Her eyes widened and she kicked at him again but he dodged quickly and when she pulled her free leg up to prepare for another strike, he gave her ankle a sharp twist.

CR~ACK!

"AHHHHHHH!"

" _SWIFT_!"

Swift clawed at the smooth floor with her hands, shrieking and kicking out in pain and terror as Ishan's hands deftly grabbed her other leg. She struggled wildly against him but he was too strong.

"Dad! It's Ishan! He's got me! DAD! HELP!"

There was another loud snap and another ear splitting shriek of agony as her other ankle was snapped.

" _We're coming Swift_!" Batman yelled loudly.

" _Batman look out!_ " Aquaman yelled. There were several bangs and crashes and small pops of static as something hit the com in Batman's ear on the other end disrupting the signal.

"DAD!"

"Don't bother struggling Christine. It'll all be over soon" Ishan smirked softly as he moved to sit astride her lower back to stop her from rolling over to her back to stand. He grabbed both her flailing hands and brought them behind her back, tying them tightly in a long slim rope.

Swift whimpered still writhing beneath him as he ripped away her cloth head gear with one hand whilst the other caressed her curves along their sides.

"You really have grown beautiful"

"Let me go!"

" _Swift! Swift! We're almost there hold on!_ " Robin called through the com, sounding terrified.

Ishan's eyes narrowed at the sound

"Pity that you've given yourself to that boy. But no matter." his fingers raked through her loose brown hair with tender but sharp strokes as he swept it to the side to reveal her neck, where the little black zip of her uniform was positioned.

"He and your little friends won't even be breathing by the time I'm through with them"

"Ishan please stop! STOP!" Swift shrieked, tears streaming as he moved and leaned down to softly press his lips to the back of her neck as he began to pull down the zip.

"DAD! HURRY! PLEASE HURRY!"

She sobbed into her com as…slowly… Tantalisingly…his lips trailed down her back as it became exposed to the chill air.

"DADDY!"

**BOOM!**

Christine shrieked with terror as the tower shook as somewhere below a wall blasted open, making the entire fortress shake.

"Aquaman, Aqualad try to shut down the pylon, Flash check the left side. Robin and I will take the right"

Batman's gruff voice sounded so terrifying and so horrific that it would've probably sent a pack of savage wolves running for the hills. But to Swift at that moment the sound was one of the most wonderful thing's she'd ever heard in her life.

Then she suddenly felt Ishan's hand wrap back around her mouth from behind and pull her up into a kneeling position on the floor. Something pressed into the small of her back.

"I won't kill you" Ishan said softly in her ear as he pushed the gun closer so that she could feel the cold metal tip against her skin "I've waited too long to have you. You'll feel pain but you won't die. That being said I won't let that boy have you. He does not deserve you. He doesn't even know your true value. But I do and if I were your lover I would worship you day… and night."

He flicked his tongue against the shell of her ear.

She scrunched up her eyes tight and forced herself to see the wind ribbons around her. Like before lots and lots of blue ribbons were in front of her eyes with only one or two red, green and yellow strands here and there peeping out from behind the others.

_Go! Find them! Hurry! Please!_

She begged. The winds immediately twisted and whirred away. One of the winds however stayed with her. A yellow one. It twisted over to her and nuzzled into her body as if trying to comfort her. It was warm like a summer breeze…

A summer breeze?

Swift stiffened.

Were the different coloured ribbons…the winds of the different seasons? Was that why the blue winds were so cold? Were they the north wind? The winter winds?

She cried out softly in pain as Ishan's teeth bit softly on her neck.

_Freeze a path that will lead them to me._

* * *

Batman and Robin were still on the fourth floor, running as fast as both their legs could carry them to the next vantage point from where they could grapple gun their way up.

"Batman!" Robin called from the stairs.

"I know keep going" Batman called.

He couldn't hear her through the com any more. His heart was racing in his chest as the most horrific images flashed over his mind's eye. Her body lying dead on the floor in a pool of her own blood was the most prominent one so far. He shook his head to clear it.

_No! Keep focused! Focused! I've got to keep it together._

Yet he couldn't help but remember her terrified shrieks as she called out for help. Oh god! He thought that hearing about her almost dying was terrible but this was worse, ten times worse because if he didn't reach her in time…. He pushed his legs harder and went into a sprint, pulling out his grapple gun from his utility belt.

He shot it again and hit it high. He saw Robin up ahead soaring in the sky and somersaulting onto the same landing. He caught sight of the boy's face and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He'd never seen Robin looking so terrified in his life.

Then he felt an icy gust of wind hit his face.

As it grazed the metal of the path he was on, thin fractals of frost appeared, twirling and twisting upon each other one by one, in front of each other like an abstract line leading upwards.

Batman's heart soared. He didn't need to hear Robin's panting laugh of relief as the icy path shot past him, running up to three stories just above them, to know who was at its source.

_That a girl Christine! Keep holding on. We're almost there._

"Aqualad! We've found her!" Robin muttered through his com to his friend who was on the ground floor, where at the base of the pylon was a computerised system that controlled the fortress.

"Go Aqualad! Go help your friends" Aquaman nodded before looking up at the other side of the fortress "Flash! Help me down here!"

Aqualad did not need telling twice. As Flash had zipped down to take his place he was already a few stories up using his water bearers and creating whips with them to swing himself up three floors at a time until he caught up with Robin.

The boy wonder pointed to the floor where the icy path kept moving forwards in front of them.

Aqualad sighed in relief a small smile gracing his lips in spite of the situation.

_Thank goodness she's still alright enough to use her powers and her head._

Another thundering of feet and Batman came between the two boys, a streak of darkness between the two white figures.

One more floor to go. Batman, Robin and Aqualad slowed down the pace to a quiet glide as the sounds of scuffling hit their ears.

"Christine" the deep voice of a man hissed "how can you enjoy yourself if you don't stay still"

There was a muffled whimper. Batman held out a hand and the two boys stopped. He looked up above them.

Through the dim light they saw the shadows of two people on top of them on the metal stairs. Both were kneeling, but one was slimmer and smaller than the other.

"Ishan please…stop…no…stop"

Swift was positively weeping with fright.

Batman ignored the first impulse to jump and just beat the shit out of the man, because he knew that if he went in guns a blazing she might get caught in the crossfire. Instead he turned back to Aqualad and Robin and gestured to the Atlantian first.

He gave one nod to the water bearers in his hands before pointing towards the larger pair of legs above.

Aqualad nodded once in understanding and silently stalked till he was right underneath Ishan's legs.

Batman looked at Robin and nodded at the pair of legs that were Swift's before gesturing to himself and then back to Ishan. Robin's translation in his head.

_Get her away from him before I pummel him to hell and back._

They positioned themselves at the stairs in the shadows as Batman held up his fingers.

_Five…_

"You're friends aren't coming Christine"

_Four…_

"Not if I can help it"

_Three…_

"You're mine now and always"

_Two…_

"And nothing is nothing is going to stop that"

_One…_

"Nothing"

_Zero!_

Aqualad flicked his water bearers upwards and the water passed through the metal grated floor wrapping around Ishan's legs.

"What the-" Ishan struggled as the water looped over his ankles in rings.

Swift gasped almost laughing with relief when…

"Get off my girlfriend jackass!"

Swift ducked as Robin's fist collided with Ishan's face. He reeled backwards, Aqualad's water bearers holding his legs in place while the Boy Wonder grabbed at his partner.

"My ankles…he-he-they're broken. Both of them!" Swift gasped between sobs as Robin tried pulling her up to her feet.

Something grabbed at her legs again and Robin ducked as-

**BANG!**

The gun shot missed the top of his head by inches. Ishan prepped the next shot but then one of the water bonds over his leg extended over his arm twisting his wrist so that the gun dropped to the ground with a clatter. Robin dragged his partner away towards the wall holding her close as Ishan struggled with the water which was tightening around his body like a boa constrictor.

_Serves you right_

Beneath him Aqualad smirked with relish as he heard the grunts of pain and saw a large dark shadow stride over the metal grates.

"You" came a dark menacing growl.

If looks could kill, Batman would have caused a massacre. His hands were gripped like vices making the veins and muscles in his large arms bulge out strongly. His jaw was set in a bestial growl and the white slits of the cowl were narrowed so much that the permanent scowl in the mask looked as terrifying as a demon's face.

Ishan glared up at him defiantly and tried pushing his hands down to the ground to spring into a flip. Aqualad however tightened his hold on both the water bearers and the water wrapped completely around the man's body holding it in place.

**_KATHWAK!_ **

Batman's hit was hard and fast, but not enough to knock Ishan out. He looked up at the dark knight blood pouring from his nose.

**_KATHWAK! KATHWAK! KATHWAK!_ **

Three more hits. One in the guts and two to the jaw, one of which knocked the hood of Ishan's uniform back and sent blood splattering over his face as magnificent bruises began blossoming in purple and black spots over the damaged areas.

Batman grabbed the younger man by the roots of his hair to force him to look up in his face.

He didn't even get startled as Ishan derisively spat out a mouthful of blood onto his uniform's insignia.

Batman's eyes narrowed as he saw the amber ones glint with fiery fury, before smirking.

"Well, I will admit you are full of surprises. But do you honestly think that you really have what it takes to truly keep her safe? To love her like I do? If it were me I'd be breaking my neck in order to satisfy every single one of my dear Christine's needs and desires"

The movement was so fast that even Robin with his experience barely saw it. One moment Ishan was on his knees, and the next the side of his face was slammed into the floor.

"Keep talking about her like that and I'll really break your neck!"

Batman snarled venomously as he held the henchman's neck with one hand and his arms in the other behind his back, in which the dark knight's knee was firmly lodged, holding him in place.

Batman growled low digging his clawed gloves into the man's neck making him splutter and choke as he tried to hold back the deadly veil of red that was his rage, from clouding his vision.

"Batman! We've rigged the fortress to self destruct in five minutes!" Flash called over the com link.

"Robin! Aqualad get Swift and yourselves out and go to the bat plane now!" Batman hissed.

"What about you?" Robin asked.

"I'll deal with this bastard. Now GO!" Batman roared.

Robin quickly picked up Swift Bridal style and dashed down the stairs as Aqualad put away his water bearers back into their holders.

"Hand her over! You'll need to contact the Bat plane with your holo computer"

Robin nodded and quickly deposited a shaking Swift into the Atlantian's hold.

After a couple of minutes of running and typing, Robin finally yelled.

"Got her ready! She's outside the area where we blasted through."

"How much longer till the place blows" Swift sniffed in pain, wincing as both her ankles were jerked around with each stride.

"Three minutes and fifty six seconds" Robin called.

"We're going to have to jump to the ground floor!" Aqualad said before changing his hold on Swift so that she was held under one arm.

"No need!" Swift called as she summoned the wind ribbons again.

_Freeze a path to slide down on_

Both Aqualad and Robin stared in amazement as suddenly ice began to form from one of the railings. Quickly with a flash of blue white energy a floor of ice with small walls on either side trailed down from the starting point to end just at the bridge in front of the previous blast point.

"That'll work" Robin grinned before jumping over the railing and sliding down on his feet. Aqualad followed holding Swift under one arm as they zoomed down the height of several stories.

They reached the ground floor within a few moments just as Aquaman and Flash came running back from the computers.

"Where's Batman?" Aquaman called out to them worriedly.

"He's still working some stuff out" Robin called his face a mask of rage.

"WHAT!" Flash cried out in horror and looked back at the computer where a countdown was ticking down on the screen. "This place is gonna go in two minutes thirty eight seconds"

"Then help him get out" Swift heaved down a breath as she swallowed down a cry of pain. Her ankles were throbbing so badly.

_Dad please! Leave Ishan and get out!_

"You can't kill me" Ishan choked down a hollow laugh as Batman pulled his leg back from the harsh kick to the gut "Not if you want to break your own code of honour"

"I won't kill you" Batman growled clicking the younger man's hands and legs together with a pair of hand cuffs each "But I don't have to save you either"

He stood up just as Flash zoomed up.

"Come on Bats we gotta go! The whole place is gonna blow in a minute"

Batman scowled but allowed Flash to grab him by the arm and zoom them both down the stairs.

"You won't be able to keep her from me forever Batman!" Ishan's roars of anger echoed around the Fortress

"Christine will be mine! YOU HEAR ME! SHE WILL BE MINE!"

_Not in a million years she won't_

Batman growled in his head as he and Flash sped up the Bat Plane's ramp.

As soon as they'd stopped and strapped into the plane Robin put the pedal to the metal at once. Up the plane went, above the clouds and over the snow covered world beneath, but still not further away enough to escape the blast radius.

"Robin" Aqualad said in a warning voice.

"I'm trying just-Argh! It's stuck!" Robin grunted as he tried forcing on a jammed lever.

"Don't force it" Batman barked from his seat.

"Calm down guys! Just…just leave it to me" Swift took a deep breath as she forced the winds to push behind them.

At once they began accelerating but still.

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

The fortress suddenly began erupting from four different points along each of the structure.

_Almost there! Come on!_

Swift gritted her teeth and shut her eyes tight as she forced her mind with all her might to focus on the winds and not the pain.

There was a deep KABOOM in the distance.

….

Batman pulled up a holo screen with feed from the Watchtower to see a large dark plume of smoke where the Ice Fortress once flew.

"Oh thank god!" Swift breathed and sank back in her chair putting her face in her hands as Robin and Flash both whooped with joy.

There was a faint laugh from beside her as Aqualad leaned forwards to rest his head between his knees.

"Well done" Aquaman put a hand on his protégé's shoulder proudly.

"Agreed" Batman gave a huge sigh.

Robin darted out of his seat and ran over to his Swift's side. He pulled her hands down from her face to see her smiling with joy with tears streaming down her face. From beside her Aqualad turned tactfully away to face the front window of the cockpit as Robin reached out to stroke the hair from Swift's face.

"Are you alright now?"

She nodded.

"Not bad, my ankles are both screwed up but" She sniffed down a sob rubbing her nose with her glove "Get off my girlfriend Jackass?"

"First thing that popped into my head" Robin grinned sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

Swift let out a choked laugh and flung her arms around him holding him close as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. Robin returned the gesture with a warm hug of his own.

From behind them Batman watched, a small smile playing on his lips, but it faded quickly.

"Don't even think about it Barry" he snapped.

Flash's expression drooped at once as he lowered the camera down.

_Damn! And that was such a nice shot!_

* * *

**Mount Justice, November 13 2010, 12:19 EDT**

Christine stood in Mount Justice's main hall in her snow gear prepped and ready to go. Yes that's right! Standing!

Well…more like floating in the air with a cast around each foot but same difference! She could still move around and do things for herself.

_Perks of having Aero-kinesis!_

She smirked as she saw her teammates walk into the hall looking rather warily at her. All except for Robin and Aqualad who had an inkling as to what was going to happen.

She'd told all of them she'd had a surprise for them all but was unwilling to say anything until Wally was feeling better as it also was going to count as a belated birthday gift. She'd also begged them to bring or buy ice skates which a very irritated Artemis was now holding up in front of her nose.

"Alright midget! You've kept us waiting long enough now spit it out! What do you want us to do with these?"

Christine rolled her eyes at the midget comment but chose to ignore it because Dick was looking really excited. She grinned.

"You guys ready?"

They all nodded nervously.

_Right! Here goes!_

She held out both her palms to the ground and took a deep breath.

Slowly from the centre of the room, ice, beautiful crystal clear white blue ice began to spread out like a web over the floor.

The team gasped as the ice came beneath their feet and shivered slightly as a cold gust blew across from the centre, like a gentle shockwave that solidified the floor making it glisten.

"OH WOW!" M'gann squealed excitedly as she looked between the skates in her hands and the floor.

"Uh…what are we supposed to do now" Conner looked confused as he looked up at Christine who laughed delightedly.

"Ask M'gann! She'll help you out! Come on Wonder Boy!" She flew up and grabbed Dick by the gloved hands and he cackled as she sped him across the ice in a spin.

"Come on guys join in!" he laughed out loud.

"BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER! Come on Kal! Let's race!" Wally cheered grabbing Kaldur who chuckled as he allowed himself to get led around the ice to a starting point.

Zatanna and Artemis were both giggling as they watched the two boys race over the ice around M'gann and Conner, who was still struggling to stand on the ice. He fell slightly on M'gann but she caught him…half kissing him in the process.

Christine and Dick both smirked, still standing in the middle before looking at each other. Dick's face faltered.

"Christine?"

"umhumm"

"About Ishan…"

"yes?"

"you don't still…have feelings for him…do you?"

Christine's smile faltered slightly but she recovered almost instantly.

"You heard our argument huh?" She raised an eyebrow

Dick looked rather sheepish as he glanced down to the icy floor.

"Yeah…"

Christine rolled her eyes but put a gentle hand to his cheek.

"Dick I…I'd be lying if I said I didn't…have a teeny-tiny crush on him, y'know as a kid…but that ended a long time ago. And now…" She blushed so red that she was the colour of his hoodie.

"And now?" Dick prompted a smirk appearing over his features.

"You're really gonna make me say it first out here" she huffed, blowing a stray piece of hair away from her forehead as she glanced at Wally and Kaldur as they passed them by.

Dick's smirk widened and she sighed.

"OK! Ok!" but nonetheless her face split in a grin "I love you"

Dick laughed and leaned down to her.

"I love you too"

They kissed softly.

"Aww!" M'gann sighed dreamily as Artemis and Zatanna both giggled. Conner and Kaldur both smiled fondly at the pair as Wally laughed out loud.

"Two little lovebirds sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes kissing then come's marriage, then comes Robin pushing a baby-"

"WALLY!" Dick and Christine both glared at him darkly as Artemis shook her head smirking.

"Pff! Idiot."


	23. Episode 21: Images

**Wayne Manor, November 22 2010, 03:56 EDT**

Pain…it riddles her feet as she tries to turn over in bed. Even through the casts over both, the soreness still is there. A constant reminder of her horrific encounter.

She grimaces as she clings tighter to the plush toy bat in her arms. No matter what she has done over the past few hours to make herself comfortable she still cannot sleep properly. But now she is so tired she is contented to doze.

There is a rattle from the windows as a breeze slips under the tiny gap between pane and sill. It twists through the night air, towards the bed.

It is cold.

She shivers as it lifts up the blankets over her bound feet. She turns her head grumbling about someone stealing the blankets, though there is no one else in sight.

The wind then wraps around each limb gently and a white glow shines softly in the room.

Her expression relaxes. The pain is leaving her ankles, slowly but surely. Bones are realigning and merging back into their original form.

She breaths deeply, finally able to drift into sleep as the glow dies down. The wind gently blows away caressing her face gently before floating out the window again.

She smiles as she manages to turn on her side and curl up into a ball twirling a lock of hair absently about one of her fingers. Just as she shuts her eyes however she tugs to pull out a knot. But she pulls out more than that.

Her eyes fly open with shock as the lock sticks to her fingers dull and dead.

In her horror she runs her hands through her hair again and her breathing quickens as another large lock falls out.

She sits up panting.

"No…no! no no no no no!" she breathes as she combs her fingers through her hair which falls out with each and every swipe of her hand. Eventually she stops running her hands through it all. But still it keeps dropping.

She's now gasping as she tries to hold back terrified sobs. She doesn't know what's happening or why. She turns to see her reflection in the mirror. All her hair is gone by now, leaving a shining bald head.

* * *

**Wayne Manor, November 22 2010, 04:14 EDT**

"Dad! Dad!" Christine called as she ran down the length of the hallway. She crashed open the door to the master bedroom only to find that it was empty.

"Dick!" she called turning round and running past the storage room and into her boyfriend's room. It too was empty

"Shit! Shit! Where are you two?" she whimpered clapping a hand to her forehead as she tried to remember where they were.

_That's right…Catwoman was going to make a move on one of the cat statues at the museum…_

Christine ran down the stairs three at a time until she reached the old broken piano. She played a couple of out of tune keys in succession and bowled down the dark stairs.

She practically flew into the Batcave to see Alfred who was at the computer, typing in a command to analyse test sample data sent from the Batmobile.

"Alfred!" she cried out desperately.

He turned at the ruckus she made and his jaw dropped.

"Miss Christine… how in the world…" he looked at her with dumbfound amazement as he caught sight of her bald head.

"Oh my…"

Christine nodded through tears as the older man rushed towards her and ushered her down the rest of the stairs and seated her in the computer chair. "You just stay put. I'll get the medical scanner"

" _What's wrong Agent A?_ " Christine heard Batman's voice through the com message. He sounded worried.

"I'll be right with you in a second Master Bruce. Now hold still please Miss Christine."

Christine nodded though she was still gushing like a river. A few moments later there were a couple of beeps and Alfred narrowed his eyes at the scanner screen

"Odd…" His moustache bristled as he pursed his lips shrewdly at the machine. "nothing seems to be wrong." He then proceeded to the tray of evening snacks and essentials, usually reserved for whoever came back from patrol. From it he took a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate which he handed to his younger charge who was shivering in fright as she curled up in a tiny ball in the large chair.

"Now young miss," he said soothingly as he placed the blanket over her shoulders "I know it's not pleasant but can you tell me what happened? All of it from the beginning"

"I-I don't know what happened? One minute I was sleeping. The next my feet were better and then suddenly all my hair started to fall out of my head and I don't know why?"

The last word came out as a wail of humiliation as a holo screen turned on with a video message from the Bat-mobile's front two seats.

As Batman and Robin both stared at her with wide masked eyes she ducked under the blanket to hide her head.

" _Robin…Are you seeing what I'm seeing_?" Batman said taking off his cowl to reveal the shocked blue eyes that stared at his daughters now bald head.

" _I think so…_ " Dick tilted his head to the side. " _Man…I knew she was stressed out about the whole Ishan thing but still_ -"

"Ahem, gentlemen! I think the little miss is in enough distress without you both adding your two cents worth" Alfred clipped warningly as Christine's sobs increased dramatically.

" _Sorry…_ " Batman said, quickly pulling back his cowl over his face.

Robin looked down at the floor of the car. " _Chris…Are you ok?_ "

"Am I ok?!" Christine shrieked. "In one night I'm balder than bloody Lex Luthor! How do you think I feel?"

" _Alright! Alright! Calm down_ " Batman flinched at the sound and looked back up at his steering wheel with an expression that looked a bit too intense to be mere concentration as he tried to think of something else to talk about " _You said your feet are better didn't you_?"

Christine gulped down a sob and nodded. "Yeah…they're not broken anymore"

" _And apart from your sudden baldness, there's nothing else wrong is there_?" he gripped the handle of the steering wheel tighter.

"No…" Christine admitted "Everything else feels fine…I actually managed to run at full speed down here without tripping once"

" _I see…_ " Batman narrowed his eyes. To many people this might have appeared to be a scary sign of anger, but Christine knew that it was merely his thinking face.

" _Christine…I want you to stay where you are. I'll run a couple of extra tests on you when we get back. And I'll run some more in the morning. But for now just stay calm…call us if anything else happens._ "

"Ok…" she sniffled.

" _Don't worry Chris we'll find out what's happening to you and find a way to help you control it._ " Robin gave her a tiny smile.

"You guys better" she mumbled hoarsely resting her forehead on her pulled up knees as Alfred patted her shoulder "I don't know how much more of these surprises I can take"

* * *

**Mount Justice, November 22 2010, 10:06 EDT**

Batman had run all the tests he could using the best of the best medical machinery he owned, which just so happened to be some of the best on the planet. But still they could not find anything to suggest that her body was physically unwell.

In fact all the scans showed that she was in the bloom of health. Her ankles even were completely healed as if they weren't even touched, with all signs of her previous fractures and breaks and dislocations (Hey she was a dancer and the dark knight's protégé, a lot could happen) completely removed.

Swift sighed as she ran a hand over her head on top of which was covered very lightly in a thin layer of brown fuzz and sighed. Well, it wasn't bald anymore, actually it was growing back unnaturally fast. It had only been a few hours since her sudden baldness and already she was certain that by tomorrow afternoon it would be fully back to normal. Not that it really changed anything. She still felt mortified about showing off her head to anyone besides Robin and Batman and she shuddered to think of what would happen if someone like Wally caught sight of her near bald state.

He'd never let her rest with the bald jokes.

**_Robin, Swift, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian. Report for mission briefing._ **

She looked up at the door as she quickly tied a black version of the ninja headgear around her head and over both her masks.

Time to get to work.

Swift met Robin in the corridor and he gripped her hand tight.

"How does it look now" He muttered.

"It's growing back a little…but still…it's irritating" she scowled grumpily "I'm sorry for freaking out on you this morning. I just…panicked.

"Hey it's ok" Robin chuckled bumping his shoulder with hers. "To be honest I'd freak out too if I'd lost all my hair mysteriously in one go"

"And that's the other thing that worries me." Swift bit her lip "Why did it happen?"

"Uh…stress?" Robin suggested lightly "or…you're getting old real fas-ow!" he cried out as she slapped him on the back of the head.

"Idiot!"

They both stepped out into the main hall where Kid and Superboy were standing in front of Batman. The Dark Knight narrowed his eyes slightly at his protégé's who both grinned slightly sheepishly as they took their spots, followed closely by Miss Martian.

As soon as they were in place, several holographic images popped up behind Batman.

"Rumann Harjavti, is the democratically elected president of Qurac. Harjavti has been praised as a fair, wise leader. A humanitarian."

Swift snorted as another screen came forth showing a news broadcast of Harjavti shaking hands with her mentor's alter ego.

_Yeah because that footage is totally co-incidental._

Her thoughts seemed to be shared by Kid Flash who leaned over to hiss in Robin's ear.

"Sure any friend of Bruce Wayne's is-OW" he winced as both birds elbowed his sides as Batman continued talking another holographic screen appearing.

"But five days ago, Harjavti allied himself with the dictator of the neighbouring nation of Bialya. Queen Bee"

"Not a fan" Superboy folded his arms scowling. The memory of their last trip to Bialya was obviously still sore in his mind.

"Few are" Swift narrowed her eyes as she assessed the dark haired, exotic beauty on the screen. "And for good reason"

Batman nodded in agreement. "But recently Harjavti has suddenly chosen to back Queen Bee's baseless claim that Qurac and Bialya were once one nation in ancient times. And has announced the countries will reunify in two days at a ceremony in Qurac."

Swift's eyes narrowed even further as she watched the two screens merge into one video screen and play back a GBS news cast from the day before.

" _After the ceremony, I will step down as President so that our rightful monarch Queen Bee can rule_ "

The video cut quickly to a snippet of Queen Bee's speech.

" _I applaud President Harjavti for unifying our peoples. And I will gladly come to Qurac to be crowned_ _ **sole**_ _leader of our nations_ "

"Could she get any faker" Robin muttered.

"I wouldn't put it past her" Swift folded her arms just as Kid Flash stepped forwards with a cry.

"And the Quracies are OK with this?"

"Hardly" Batman shook his head as images of protestors in Qurac now flashed over the screen.

Swift's hands clenched as she saw the child in the foreground looking around with fear as he clutched onto his mother's hand.

"They are well aware of the brutality of Queen Bee's regime. But Harjavti has censored the press, silenced all legitimate protest and invited the Biaylian military into his country to enforce martial law.

"This is so wrong" Swift shook her head. "Harjavti hates to use the military. He's usually the kind of guy that works with negotiations and words and will only use force if absolutely necessary. The only reason I can think of him doing something so out of character like this is-"

"-if Queen Bee is controlling him" Robin nodded as he caught onto her train of thought "Doesn't she have the power to enthral most men?"

"And some women." Batman agreed "but not long distance. And we have confirmation that she hasn't left Bialya. Something else is at work here. Find out what. Robin you're team leader."

"What?" Robin and Swift both gasped in surprise.

"Promotion? Sweet" Kid held up a hand for a high five, which Robin left hanging as he stepped forwards.

"What about Aqualad or Swift?"

"Aqualad is busy helping Aquaman and Swift…" Batman paused looking at Swift who folded her arms as everyone turned to her expecting an answer.

"Honestly guys I'm not really feeling too crash hot at the moment." She sighed

"Why what's wrong?" Superboy looked worriedly down at her.

"Just…personal issues…I don't want it getting in the way of my …decision making skills. Besides Aqualad and I can't hog all the fun" She shrugged.

Everyone just stared at her in confusion except for Kid Flash who was still hanging up his high five for Robin. She shook her head in exasperation.

"Robin I think you need to look at Kid for a moment"

"Great" Robin turned and glowered at Kid who looked slightly confused.

"Dude you totally left me hanging"

Swift sighed

* * *

**Qurac, November 22, 23:56 UTC +2**

"We're right above the Quraci-Bialyan border" Robin stated as they flew over the large terrain of wide open grasslands.

"A border the Bialyans are in the process of ignoring" Kid Flash scowled.

Swift looked down and saw multiple tanks begin to tear through a wire fence heading straight for a herd of grazing wildebeest.

"Poor things" Miss Martian sighed softly as the animals scattered hither and thither away from the tanks.

"No opposition" Swift said as she began a scan of the perimeter.

"Guess Harjavti really is in bed with Bialya" Superboy agreed as he scanned the tanks, pulling up a picture of the yellow and black flag on their bonnets.

"Then again you wouldn't expect opposition here" Swift narrowed her eyes.

"Why not?" Kid Flash asked in surprise as he pulled down his infrared goggles to see in the dark outside.

"Because it's an animal sanctuary" Robin said pulling up a map on his holo computer.

"The  _Logan_  Animal Sanctuary?" Miss Martian cried out excitedly.

"You've heard of it?" Robin and Swift exchanged quick glances before looking up at her. She blushed a little from embarrassment.

"Guys!" Kid called "the tanks have caused a stampede. There are civilians in harm's way!"

"Where?" Swift began typing furiously to scan the ground.

"I see them." Superboy said as he leaned to look out the window. "a woman and a small boy"

"I got them on my scanners too…seems like the stampede's gonna hit them soon" Swift announced and Miss Martian gasped.

"we have to help them!"

"We're way off mission here" Robin groaned. Swift raised a masked brow at her partner who caught the look and scowled.

"Deploy. But stealth mode. If the Bialyan's know we hit them, this becomes an international incident"

Everyone nodded.

Swift unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up as Miss Martian opened a hole in the floor.

She jumped through first, cloaking herself as she soared over head.

"Alright we have five armoured tanks with armoured soldiers each manning them." She reported into her com.

" _And the stampede_?" Miss Martian asked worriedly.

"Still headed for the civilians" Swift said grimly. "I think a plan would be in order Wonder boy"

" _Alright Swift, you kid and I will handle the tanks. Miss Martian, Superboy the civilians. lets go_!" Robin barked into his com link.

Swift nodded as she saw the smallest streaks of darkness zip down past her as Robin and Kid Flash dropped down with their lines.

She looked down at the tanks and summoned the wind ribbons into her sight.

She grabbed a pair of yellow ribbons that felt surprisingly hot to the touch, and aimed them at one of the tanks sides. Immediately a wheel burst and the tank veered off to the side, crashing into the one next to it.

Robin aimed a birdarang with knock out gas in the midst of a series of soldiers whilst Kid Flash super sped his way through, taking each of their guns.

Swift kept destroying and herding the tanks with her wind ribbons forcing them back into the Bialyan territory. She could hear many screaming out in their own language.

"[a demon! A demon of the wind! Run! Run for your lives!]"

"Demon…pfff! How rude" Swift rolled her eyes as she flew over to where Superboy and Miss Martian had diverted the stampede around the woman and child that were still holding onto each other for dear life.

"Are you both alright?" she asked calmly.

The pair looked up in shock as she hovered down to them just as Robin and Kid Flash both zipped into place dropping all the soldiers guns at his feet.

The boy and woman were both remarkably similar looking, with red hair, large brown eyes and small dabbling's of freckles under the eyes…freckles that looked remarkably similar to…

Swift's mind was racing as the boy's face split into an excited grin.

"Mom! Mom! We were just saved by Robin, Swift and Kid Flash!"

_Oh how cute a fan_

Swift smirked catching her friends eyes.

"Well Superboy and Miss Martian helped too" Kid Flash shrugged as the pair came up level with them, Miss Martian gently placing a telekinetically hovering Oryx down to the ground.

"Oryx!" the boy ran up to the animal and hugged it around its neck. The woman, his mother, got to her feet slowly and walked towards the young protégé's with a wary look on her face.

"We diverted the Bialyan's around the sanctuary, you should be safe now." Robin said as assuredly as he could but the woman still looked uncertain.

Swift felt something tap her shoulder and she turned quickly…to see nothing there.

"Uh…can i…" Miss Martian's voice asked quietly from the blank space. Swift sighed with relief and Kid Flash grinned.

"Yeah…coast is clear Miss M you can de camo now" he grinned. Miss Martian became visible again as she took off her cloaks hood.

"h-hi!" she smiled nervously.

The little boy became even more excited when she suddenly reappeared. But his mother seemed to feel otherwise, as she stepped forwards with a frown.

"You might've made things worse. Bialyan border crossings are a way of life here. Usually they wreck a few fences and move on. Engaging them might have made us a target"

"Mom!" the boy whined "uncool"

The mother sighed and walked over to stand next to the boy "I'm sorry. I should thank you. This is my son Garfield. And I'm-"

"Marie Logan" Miss Martian squealed excitedly "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you in person?!"

_Whoa! Talk about a fan-girl moment!_

Swift exchanged a nervous glance with Superboy as one of the wildebeest from before groaned and limped over to them.

Marie rushed to the animal quickly and stroked its back soothingly before turning back and glaring at them.

"The Oryx is sick and I think you injured this wildebeest" her glare was particularly hard on Superboy who looked slightly sheepish.

"Uh…sorry"

Marie sighed heavily again. "I suppose it was unavoidable. But both need to go to our clinic"

"Swift and the Boys can do that" Miss Martian suggested happily. "You and I can uh…fix your fences!"

"That's not exactly our-" Robin began but Miss Martian quickly turned back on him with big eyes just as Garfield turned on his mom with the same look.

"Robin please!"

"Please mom?!"

Both Robin and Marie sighed in unison.

"Fine"

Swift giggled softly as both Miss Martian and Garfield whooped with joy.

Robin turned back to her with a resigned look.

"How do you manage this?"

"Sometimes Robin you just have to go with it" she shrugged.

* * *

Swift sighed heavily as Miss Martian opened the back door to the bio ship.

It was a couple of hours when Swift and the boys got Marie, Garfield, the Wildebeest and the Oryx back to the clinic in the bio ship by which time they were all pretty tired.

"Miss M?" Robin muttered

"yeah" Miss Martian yawned as Kid and Superboy trudged past her.

"Could you make a bed along the side here, with a couple of curtains?"

"Sure" She nodded.

"Why curtains?" Swift yawned as her partner took her by the hand to an organic curtain that separated their bed from the rest of the crews.

Robin fixed her with a look and she nodded.

"Oh yeah…that" she blushed running a hand over her head.

There was a snicker behind them and they both turned to see Kid Flash smirking at the two of them.

"What's up with you?" Robin glowered at his best friend.

"Oh nothing." he shrugged as whistling he waltzed off to the front of the ship.

"Just ignore him" Swift grumbled as they drew both their curtains shut.

"What a day" Robin grunted as he peeled off his mask revealing a very tired pair of sparkling blue eyes.

"I know." Swift nodded as she unwound the ninja headgear from her head.

"It's grown again" Dick pointed to her head.

Christine ran a hand over her head again and smiled softly. It was now slightly longer than Robins mop, though thankfully falling much neater than his did.

"Does it look ok?" she asked nervously

Dick tilted his head as he assessed her question. "Yeah… actually, it looks pretty cute"

"I still prefer it longer though" Christine blushed running her hand through it again.

"That's just because it's easier to maintain" Dick smirked knowingly as he walked over to her.

He grinned at her and she blushed harder.

"Dick…what are you doing?" she muttered softly as he backed her up against the wall.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he leaned in.

"It looks like you and I are gonna…" she trailed off as his face came dangerously close to hers.

Her eyes fluttered shut as his mouth pressed against hers. He placed a hand on her back, which trailed slowly down to her waist.

She licked his lips lightly before drawing her tongue back. He grinned and cupped her face in his hand to tilt her head back so that he could angle his head better as he carefully slid his tongue into her mouth.

She mewled softly into the kiss as he kneaded her side in gentle motions with his thumb and entwined her fingers in his hair massaging the scalp. Dick groaned softly with satisfaction and the hand that was on her waist went a little lower…

Christine opened her mouth wider in response and Dick pressed his advantage, pulling her body close to his so that he could feel every small piece of muscle and flesh against his own.

"Hey Robin! Swift! M'gann's turning the lights off"

There was the grinding of metal rings on a pole as Wally pulled back one of the curtains to pop his head through.

"Whoa" Wally breathed his jaw dropping at the sight.

Dick and Christine both pulled apart for air, bodies still entwined, to glare daggers at the speedster.

"Do you mind?" Dick narrowed his eyes.

"No…no of course not" the red head fumbled before grinning "you're together you can both do whatever you want. Just keep the noise down"

His head popped away and Dick shook his head leaning in, but before he could kiss Christine again Wally popped in again.

"and no hanky panky neither!"

"Wally!" Christine growled but he had already zipped back to the front of the ship snickering. She sighed heavily

"Do you think they'll ever stop doing that?"

"Nope" Dick popped the p before turning back to her and smirking mischievously "Now…where were we?"

* * *

**Logan Animal Sanctuary (Qurac), November 23 2010, 06:57 UTC+2**

Kid Flash sniggered.

Robin and Swift just glowered at him, holding each other's hands as they walked and doing their best to ignore him

They were following Garfield out of the clinic and into the main house now, but still Kid was still teasing them about running in on them last night.

They passed under a tree and Swift cried out as a green monkey dropped down on her head before springing onto a livid Superboy's shoulder, before jumping onto Kid Flash and stealing his protein bar.

"Hey! Get it off!"

Robin snorted smugly as the little primate scrambled up Garfield's blue shirt to sit on his shoulder.

"It's ok. Meet Monkey" The boy laughed as Monkey the monkey took a bite out of Kid's snack.

"Good name. But I hate monkeys" Superboy scowled only to have the bar thrown at his head.

"Looks like monkeys hate Superboy's" Robin snickered.

"Dude be glad he only threw a protein bar" Kid agreed as Monkey clambered up onto Swift's shoulders.

"Aww! Hey there little guy" She giggled slightly as she scratched its head. Monkey leaned into her touch and shut his eyes, chattering softly.

"Look monkeys like Swift" Kid muttered smugly in an undertone to Robin who promptly crushed his foot before following Garfield into the house.

"Ow ow!" the speedster hopped on one foot outside.

"Kid! Would you hurry up and get in here?" Swift barked as she sat on the seat of the chair Robin was sitting on from around a coffee table.

"So pretty weird about Miss Martian and my mom huh?" Garfield asked conversationally as he stood at the front of the room.

"What do you mean?" Superboy folded his arms and leaned away from the monkey on Swift's shoulders as he jumped over their heads to scarper back up to the younger boy's shoulders.

"I mean she looks exactly like Marie. Y'know…except greener"

"She does?" Kid Flash looked around the room.

"Well duh!" Garfield exclaimed "Especially back when mom was a TV star on Hello Megan"

Swift's eyes widened in astonishment. So that feeling of familiarity wasn't just her imagining. She looked down at Robin. "Wait so Hello Megan…is a television show?"

"I just thought it was something she said all the time" Robin shrugged.

"Yeah! On the TV show" Garfield snorted " _Way_  before we were born! Only one season. You can't even find it online. I know mom has a tape somewhere…"

He looked back at the Television which was set up over a cabinet full of Video tapes.

"I'll see if it's in here"

They waited for a few moments as the younger boy fiddled and sorted through all the tapes one by one, carefully reading the label.

"So…M'gann's been using another identity" Robin muttered to Swift who frowned and folded her arms.

"Well we can't exactly talk can we?"

"No…I guess not" Robin agreed. Then there was a triumphant

"Ha! Hello Megan! The pilot episode"

Garfield pulled out a video tape and blew the top so as to clear any dust before putting it in the player.

"Whoa! You still have VHS. Where's your A-track?" Kid smirked as an FBI warning notice for copyright infringement came up on the screen.

Swift felt a chill up her neck just as the wind carried the sounds of droning to her ears.

"Wait!" she jumped to her feet making the others jump in surprise.

"I hear it too" Superboy tilted his head to focus on his super hearing "Aircraft headed this way"

"lets go!" Swift flew out the door.

She looked up and saw Miss Martian and Marie running up to them from the latter's service truck.

"What is it?" the Martian looked worried.

"It seems that some of our new friends are about to pop in" Swift narrowed her eyes as she saw the dark shapes of the fighter planes get close into view.

"There are three of them" Kid Flash called before several bangs issued from them.

Marie and Miss Martian both began to sprint for their lives as the gunfire splattered over the terrain, closer and closer to them.

Eventually Miss Martian dove over Marie to protect her only to have Superboy crouch over both of them.

The planes passed overhead and began to veer around for another attack.

"Where's my son?" Marie called out desperately.

"I ordered him to stay inside" Robin nodded but Marie's face just turned if possible even paler.

"He's eight! He doesn't do orders"

"MOM!" Garfield's voice echoed across from the clinic.

"Mom! It's ok I got the animal's out!" They all turned to see the boy as he opened the doors. The Oryx and Wildebeest both rushed out.

There were several more rounds of shots as the guns on the planes tore over the terrain again. One of them hit a tank on the outside.

They watched in horror as it exploded with a loud Kaboom and Garfield's tiny form was blown high up into the air along with a plume of black smoke and wooden debris.

"GARFIELD!" Marie cried out in horror as Miss Martian flew into the fray catching him before he could hit the ground. She flew him back down to his mother who took him quickly in her arms.

Marie had to gulp down her horror as she saw the red bubble of blood burst in his mouth as he took a shuddering breath. Garfield was a small child already, but being held like this he looked positively tiny and frail.

"They're banking again!" Swift called as she saw the planes turn back ground in unison.

"I told you there'd be consequences!" Marie glowered at her and Robin.

"Always" Robin looked down at the ground with guilt.

Marie looked like she wanted to retort but Swift cut across her quickly, though Robin noticed she wasn't sounding angry.

"We can worry about who was at fault later. For now let's get your son and you safely inside"

Marie shut her mouth and nodded.

Quickly as they could Swift and Robin escorted the almost hyperventilating mother back inside the house and to a room, which was like a makeshift medical centre.

"We use this in case there are too many animals in the clinic, or if someone close by needs a basic check-up" Marie explained trying to open a medical kit but her hands were shaking badly.

"Here" Swift opened the box from her hold gently and opened the lock.

Marie nodded in thanks and took out her equipment with Swift and Robin quietly watching over the small boy in the bed.

She quickly bandaged his bleeding head before hearing for his heartbeat with a stethoscope.

Swift drummed her fingers along the small window pane as she looked outside. The bangs and crashes from outside had stopped. The team must've finished with the planes.

There was a small bang of wood hitting wood as Kid Flash opened the door in a rush just as Marie announced to them

"He's in shock. He needs a blood transfusion now. Are any of you O negative?"

"No" Robin shook his head.

"Robin's B negative, Kid Flash is O positive and I'm AB positive" Swift counted off on her fingers

"Sorry" the speedster apologised nervously. Marie sighed heavily.

"Neither am I. It's the hardest to match. I kept a supply in the clinic but-"

"I can run him to the nearest hospital" Kid stepped forwards boldly but Robin shook his head.

"The nearest hospital with a guaranteed blood supply is half an hour away at your top speed. Longer by bioship"

"He doesn't have that much time" Marie looked down at her child and Swift thought she could almost see tears spring in the corners of them.

"What's Superboy's blood type?"

"He's Kryptonian, and Miss Martian-" Swift bit her lip nervously.

"Might be able to help" Miss Martian stepped into the room timidly followed by a nervous Superboy. "My shape-shifting occurs at a cellular level"

She stepped up to stand beside Garfield. "I think I can morph my blood to match his"

"Please try" Marie begged.

"I'll need to concentrate. No distractions." Miss Martian nodded and Marie rounded on the rest of them.

"Out all of you! Out!"

Swift and Robin dashed out of the room with the others, the latter sighing as he made his way back to the lounge.

"We've just gotten an animal sanctuary shot at, an eight year old boy is half dead and on top of all this Harjavti steps down tomorrow, subjecting all of Qurac to this danger" he ran his fingers through his hair. "KF can you find a news station?"

"On it" Kid grabbed all the television remotes and fumbled with each one "great…now which remote is it?"

Robin groaned in exasperation and leaned forwards in his chair.

"Hey, it's gonna be ok" Swift leaned over him from the back of the chair with both hands on his shoulders. Gently she dug her thumbs in smooth but firm circular motions in the fleshy flat bit of his upper back between his shoulder blades. Round and round they went before she moved her hands up to squeeze his extremely tense shoulders.

"You don't know that…unless you've got some new psychic ability to match your new hair" Robin groaned again, but this time it was less irritable as she moved her hands back to his upper back.

"No. no. not quite psychic. Just the usual good gut feeling" Swift smiled softly as he leaned back into her touch, both eyes shut as he took a deep soothing breath.

"Hmmm…alright if you say so" He looked up just as Swift leaned down to kiss the top of his forehead.

They both heard Kid mutter something along the lines of "lucky stiff" before he turned back to the television remotes.

Suddenly there was music in the room. Everyone turned to see the television on which a large logo zoomed into centre screen.

" _Hello Megan~!_ "

Swift's jaw dropped as an image of a girl that looked exactly like their own M'gann flashed across the screen. They all watched in astonishment as the opening credits rolled onto the actual show, where the TV Megan ran down the stairs of her typical sitcom home before clapping a hand to her forehead.

 _"Ah! Hello Megan_ " the studio audience gave a roar of laughter as TV Megan ran up to the front door to open it for her guest, which turned out to be a slim guy with long blackish hair.

" _Conner_!"

Superboy turned his face away scowling in embarrassment.

"Oh yeah…pure coincidence" Kid Flash muttered to Robin

"More like trippy" Swift pinched the bridge of her nose blinking hard.

"It's done" came a small voice.

They all jumped and turned round to see their own Miss Martian standing behind them docilely. Kid Flash quickly grabbed a remote and started pressing every single button on it till the channel changed back to the normal television mode.

" _My fellow Quracies._ " Came a familiar voice and Miss Martian looked up.

"Is that Harjavti?"

They turned back to the TV to see the President of Qurac standing at a podium surrounded by armoured guards.

" _Queen Bee's rule is a gift to our people-_ "

"Hey that guy in the back! I know him" Superboy pointed into the crowd behind the Harjavti towards a hooded figure.

Robin quickly pulled up his holo computer which scanned. Swift and Kid Flash both looked on with wide eyes as Miss Martian explained.

"it's Psimon, the psychic we fought last time we were in Bialaya. He was working for Queen Bee then, he must be controlling Harjavti for her now"

"Argh! I can still remember the headache from when he brain blasted us"

"We have to get Harjavti away from him" Robin narrowed his eyes at the psychic's stats on his computer. "Swift what can you make of this data? Swift?"

But Swift was not listening to him. She was staring transfixed at the television screen at a point just next to Psimon where a man in a black suit with black hair and a small scar over his mouth was standing.

"Swift…is something-" Miss Martian began but at that moment there were footsteps from behind them as Marie stepped into the room. She looked very relieved.

"I think it worked. Garfield's stable."

"Good because we have our mission"

* * *

**Dhabar (Qurac), November 23 2010, 22:11 UTC+2**

Swift was currently on all fours, invisible behind Robin trying her best to not hit her head on the top of the ventilation shaft, they were all hiding in.

_Man even by my standards this is cramped._

She winced as her elbow grazed the metal beside her.

_You feel cramped? How do you think I feel?_

Superboy grumbled from his spot behind her, where he was lying flat on his stomach with both arms tucked under him in a crawling position

_Harjavti is alone_

Robin announced as he pulled the small camera up.

He opened the shaft's grated door and they all fell through one after the other into the president's large office.

Swift approached Harjavti carefully as he turned his head towards her. The man's face was devoid of emotion as if he was in a trance and his voice was monotone.

"Where's my daughter? Where's Psimon?"

"Forget him" Robin nodded at Swift. "Let's get you out of here"

But before Swift could help Harjavti stand up the three doors around the office burst open and Bialyan soldiers rushed in all carrying an assortment of high tech weapons with a red glow.

Swift looked up as an unarmed soldier with a cap and a patch on his shoulder walked in behind his troops and sneered at them in a thick accent. "Well, well. American Heroes. Here to assassinate the president. Such a shame we arrived too late to stop them."

_At the risk of sounding like an idiot here! Do any of you know what kind of weapons these are?_

Swift looked round at all the strange weapons that were pointed at them as she stood up.

_I do_

Superboy quickly glanced at her and then back at the soldiers.

_Those are Apokoliptan weapons_

_Which they'll use to kill Harjavti, we get blamed and Queen Bee gets to rule Qurac!_

Robin surmised.

_Form up around the President_

They all nodded except for Miss Martian who was currently somewhere else in the room cloaked.

_I found Psimon!_

She called.

_M'gann wait!_

Swift called out but she could feel the mental link with her friend go slightly weaker as it sped away from them.

_I'll go get her_

Superboy suggested but Robin reached out to stop him.

_No the mission is Harjavti_

_Besides I don't think our new buddies are going to let us off that easily_

Kid Flash narrowed his eyes at a nearby soldier who gulped but stood his ground.

Now that Swift looked around at most of the soldiers she saw that most of them wore the same scared expressions on each of their faces.

"Swift what are you doing?" Robin hissed as she put both her hands up, not in surrender but in parley. The soldiers prepped their weapons to fire.

"[Wait!]" She said in fluid Bialyan. The soldiers all halted for a moment surprised. "[I understand a lot of you don't want to be here. That most of you are only attacking us because you've been ordered to do so. But the way I see it there are two options. You can step down now and leave in peace and we can avoid unnecessary violence. Or we can do this the hard way. It's your choice]"

There was a silence as several of the soldiers actually lowered their weapons. Their captain's sneer became a snarl.

"[Pick up your weapons you fools! Remember you serve our queen not this little bitch.] Open fire!" the last two words were shouted out in English and the soldiers snapped into action.

"Well that went  _really_  well!" Kid said sarcastically as he sped around the president's desk, making a make shift perimeter around it.

"Oh piss off Kid!" Swift snapped irritably as she grabbed one of the wind ribbons and winded a couple of soldiers in the guts allowing Robin and Superboy to snap off their Apokoliptan weapons. She then flew over to their leader who was trying to run away but she grabbed him by the scruff of his uniform before he could even get one foot out of the door.

He blubbered in terror as she narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Y'know…it's really rude to insult a lady" she hissed softly before delivering an upper cut to his jaw and knocking him out just as the others finished up with the soldiers.

She dropped the man in her grasp just as someone else came running into the room.

"Father!"

It was a woman with dark hair and skin with a beauty mark under one eye, wearing a navy blue suit and skirt combo.

She ran over to the president and hugged him as he seemed to snap out of whatever daze he'd just been in.

"Noor! You're alright." He hugged her back. Noor Harjavti looked up beaming at the young protégé's as she pulled away from her father.

"Thank you for saving my father. We will take care of him now."

Robin nodded at her before turning back to the rest of the team.

"Come on, we've gotta go help M'gann"

"Right!" they nodded before dashing out the door.

"Do you think she's ok?" Superboy asked as he Robin and Kid Flash ran down the corridor with Swift flying above them.

"I bet she's fine" Kid Flash said airily grinning. "Right Swift?"

But again Swift didn't answer. A chill had gone up her spine as they passed the last corridor.

She doubled back mid flight to stare down it. A shadowy figure was waiting at the end right next to the wall. A figure with two amber dots gleaming from where the eyes should be.

_No way…_

_Swift?_

Robin called over the mental link

She blinked. The shadow was gone.

_Coming Rob_

She replied finding to her surprise that she was shaking and sweating badly. She caught up with them just as an exit came in sight.

_Babe? What's wrong? We called for you several times?_

Kid sounded just as worried as Robin.

_Just checking to see if we're being followed_

_And is anyone following us?_  Robin enquired.

She gulped as she chanced a look back and saw the same shadow from before. Far away but the amber glint was still distinct

_…no…nothing at all…_

Swift replied but Robin narrowed his eyes as if guessing her hidden thoughts as she flew back to the ground to run with them.

_Any word from M'gann?_

Swift asked as Robin pushed her so that she ran in front of him.

_No! But she sounds distressed._

There was the distant sounds of crashing and thudding as the end of the corridor came closer towards them.

Swift saw Superboy's face turn pale as he sped up the pace of his large strides.

_M'gann we're coming._

But before they could even reach the room pain shot through all of them and they were forced to stop short. Swift clutched her head as she stumbled over Robin who was already lying unconscious, her brain going black before she could hit the floor.

* * *

_Christine was alone in a large garden, swinging on a swing set. The pathway that led through the bushes and flowers was paved in white marble which glistened under the bright sun set in a bright blue sky. All around her flowers bloomed and the fresh grass was fresh and green as emeralds. But she wasn't looking around her. She was huddled under a tree trying to hide herself in the shadows of the leaves but the sun kept peeping through._

_She whimpered as a small ray hit her skin. Why was the sun so keen to expose her unhappiness?_

_Then the light was blocked and she looked up._

_A man stood in front of her. He was very tall …or was she just really small? That being said she could see that he had dark brown hair like hers but cut much shorter. He was dressed in a white shirt with rolled up sleeves and black pants with held up by a pair of black pant suspenders. He looked down at her, his warm brown eyes slightly puzzled._

_"Christine, what is wrong? Why are you crying?"_

_"I'm not crying" Christine heard herself grumble in a high childish voice._

_"Oh?" the man knelt down to her eye level. "Then why do you have tears falling down your face?"_

_She looked up. The man's eyes were so warm and kind that the barrier she'd placed to stop her tears broke apart instantly._

_"I keep messing up!" She blubbered and the man gently took her into his arms. "I keep making mistakes…and-and-"_

_"And?"_

_"It's not fair!" she wailed banging her much smaller fists on the man's chest "I do everything I can to make her notice me but nothing works. She just glares at me like I'm a monster!"_

_"Shh…it's ok. You're not a monster" He rocked her backwards and forwards gently as her eyes filled with tears._

_"What's wrong with me?"_

_"Christine nothing's wrong with you" the man rubbed her back in large soothing circles._

_This seemed to calm her down somewhat and soon her wails had turned back to soft sniffles._

_"There is nothing wrong with you" he repeated softly holding her close._

_"If nothing's wrong with me…then why does she hate me so much?" she mumbled._

_"…I don't know… but I don't hate you. And I never will."_

_I never will…_

* * *

"Swift…"

Swift groaned and turned over in her sleep.

"Swift get up"

"Five more minutes papa" she grunted.

"Uh…Swift… it's me"

"…M'gann?"

Swift opened her eyes and saw Miss Martian's face hovering over hers.

That's right…They were still in the large hallway of the Qurac house of parliament.

Once she saw she was awake Miss Martian helped pull her up into a sitting position just as Superboy and Robin began stirring.

"Oww." he groaned as Swift helped him to his feet.

"And there's the headache" Kid Flash grunted as he too sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Psimon?" Robin winced as he finally found his footing.

"He brain blasted you. I stopped him" Miss Martian smiled down at them before turning to look away. Swift followed her gaze and it fell onto a mass of rubble that consisted of broken chairs and television screens. In the midst of it all the pale faced evil psychic was lying with his eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling, a sliver of drool dropping from his open mouth.

"Whoa…Remind me not to get on your bad side" Swift grinned at Miss Martian who blushed slightly pink.

* * *

**Logan Animal Sanctuary (Qurac), November 24 2010, 11:28 UTC+2**

"M'gann! M'gann, Garfield's up do you wanna see him?" Swift called as she popped her head out the front door. M'gann was outside on the front porch steps looking out onto the beautiful scenery with a very forlorn expression on her face.

"M'gann?"

"Oh…hey Swift" she smiled quickly but Swift didn't buy it.

She knew that smile only too well. It was the same one that she'd taught her self day in and day out in front of the mirror after that fateful day four years ago. The smile that told people who couldn't understand you that you were alright and not to worry, when really you were just hurting on the inside.

"M'gann stop smiling. It may fool people like Wally and the others but I  _know_  something's bothering you"

Miss Martian looked taken aback as she turned her head down to the ground.

"Swift… It's nothing. I'm just feeling tired from last night that's all." Miss Martian stopped there and made a move as if move away but Swift grabbed her shoulder and steered her back in front of her before she could run off.

The older girl was surprised at how forceful the younger one could be despite her tiny size.

"Listen…I don't know what that creep Psimon did to you…and I know everyone has their own secrets…but take it from me…Shutting yourself away from the people who care about you will only make the pain worse not better."

"And how would you know that?" Miss Martian spat under her breath sounding like an angry child. "You're perfect. You're pretty, smart, kind and funny. You've got a dad like Batman who worries about you, Robin and the boys love you to bits. You're probably the most popular girl in your school too. And I bet you have a mother who adores you. What do you know about how I feel?"

At this Swift chuckled darkly.

"A mother who adores me? Heh! There's one I've never heard before."

"What?"

"Let's put it this way M'gann…you're not the only one who fears…rejection"

Miss Martian's eyes widened as she saw the small sad smile grace her friends face.

"…Who rejected you?" Miss Martian held her breath apprehensively. She didn't know whether she wanted to hear the answer or not.

Swift opened her mouth to speak when someone called from within the house.

"Hey girls! The news is on! Come in and see!"

"Coming Kid" Swift called before grabbing Miss Martian by the hand and dragging her back into the house, before the latter could object.

" _And I assure you, the Wayne Foundation will do whatever it can to help you and your people rebuild Qurac_ "

_Trust Dad to have perfect timing_

Swift shook her head fondly as she went over to sit squished up with Robin on a single couch as they, Miss Martian, Superboy, Kid Flash and Marie all watched the Television screen on which the tall form of Bruce Wayne was currently shaking hands with President Harjavti.

"Gee. Bruce Wayne sure got here fast. Almost as if he knew-ow!"

Kid cried out as Robin flung his arms back to put them behind his head very  _accidently_  hitting him in the process.

Swift rolled her eyes "Shouldn't you be collecting a souvenir or something?"

"Agh! Hello Megan!" the speedster slapped his forehead before zipping over to the video cabinet and pulling out a tape. He waggled it in front of Miss Martian's face.

"Something you'd like to tell us?"

Miss Martian looked down at the ground nervously as everyone leaned forwards to listen intently.

"Growing up on Mars was not a happy time for me, but I started watching the broadcasts my uncle sent from Earth to teach us about our sister planet. And when I saw Hello Megan, something just  _clicked_. Maybe it was the similarity in our names. Maybe it was the way all Megan's problems could be solved in twenty two minutes. All I know for sure is…that Megan helped me smile through a lonely childhood. So…when I came to Earth and had to adopt a human form I chose you, well…Megan" She looked up at Marie who was looking teary eyed at her, clearly very touched.

Swift and Robin both exchanged glances.

"Which begs the question…what do you really look like?"

There was a pause in which Miss Martian looked around at them all as if thinking really hard. But then she stood up.

Swift couldn't help but hold her breath as her friend began to morph before them, her brows jutting forwards, her lips turning green, her freckles disappearing and her hair shrinking back into her skull until she was completely bald. Like this she looked almost like a female replica of her uncle.

"Bald M'gann. Still hot" Kid grinned.

Swift shook her head in exasperation as Superboy stood up to take his girlfriend's hand.

"You know you don't have to put on a mask for me"

"I do it for me" Miss Martian pulled her hand away and morphed back into her regular form "This is who I am…inside. Please don't be mad"

She directed this towards Marie who smiled sincerely.

"Mad? I'm honoured. M'gann you saved my son. He says he's your blood brother now and I agree. You're family"

Miss Martian's eyes welled up with tears as she ran up to her idol who accepted her in a warm hug.

"Thank you! You can't know what that means to me"

_Who rejected you?_

Swift shut her eyes and leaned into her partner's hold as Miss Martian's words wafted over her brain.

She felt sick to her stomach with herself. M'gann was like her sister, her sweet bubbly, slightly enigmatic older sister.

_Oh M'gann…_

She should be happy for her like everyone else.

_If only you knew…_

Instead she was seething with envy and in this state of mind she couldn't help but notice-

_How much I wished I could be…_

-that despite the fact that Miss Martian had green skin she and Marie was a human-

_…just_

\- they both looked like they truly were-

_…like_

-mother

_…you_

-and daughter.


	24. Christmas Special Short

**Wayne Manor, December 24 1996, 11:43 EDT**

Bruce had snuck out from the Bat Cave just after his Christmas patrol. Yep. Christmas patrol. Stuart was of course fast asleep in bed recovering from an injury but even so the Dark knight had no trouble cleaning up his city. Though admittedly Christmas Eve was one of the least active days for crime in Gotham, which meant the Batman too got a holiday. This break was such a relief to him since he hadn't had the chance to visit the newest addition to his, Alfred's and, for the time being until his divorce was settled, Stuart's family.

"Master Bruce" Alfred called as he added the last finishing touches to the Christmas tree. "I need to just fetch one or two ornaments from another box upstairs. Would you mind watching this little lady while I'm gone?"

"Not at all Alfred"

Now Bruce may keep the Batman persona as far away as he could from his public one as humanly possible but both still shared some similarities. For one thing, both personas weren't the kind of guys that liked cute, adorable, sweet, cuddly… in short anything that made one coo or go gaga.

Bruce was the slightly over the top guy who delighted in the expensive and rich whilst Batman's tastes tended to lean towards the necessary, practical, grim and also slightly morbid if his choice in his (as Alfred so kindly put it) "evening activities" was anything to go by.

But despite these images he tried to maintain on both fronts, Bruce had to admit, the little baby girl snoring lightly on a blanket on the floor, on the rug that lay in front of the fire was by far the sweetest thing he'd ever seen in his life.

Her pretty eyes were shut gently, lashes twitching as she dreamed. Though she lay on her back her head lolled to the side, so that one side of her face was slightly squashed against the blanket. She wriggled around in a little periwinkle blue onesie patterned with white snowflakes, with a little white beanie over her head.

Bruce carefully reached down to scoop her up in his arms. She whined a little bit at the change in position as he carried her over to sit in the armchair beside the fire beneath his parent's portrait.

She seemed to like Bruce the most, both in and out of costume, which was surprising as most babies and children were a bit scared of him at first meeting. It was always so embarrassing whenever he had to show his face at the Wayne foundation functions only to greet a child and have it instantly hide behind his parent's legs as soon as they saw him. He assumed that his tall height and broad build must be scary to most kids. But not to this little angel that was in his arms.

"Alright! Alright! Calm down! I'm sorry for disturbing your beauty nap" he chuckled rocking her a little as her face scrunched up and she let out a small mewl of discomfort. She was a grumpy sleeper, and hated her naps being disturbed but Bruce couldn't resist holding her like this. Stuart was going to take her back home with him and raise her as his own once he'd settled things with Scarlett, so Bruce was going to get as much time with the little baby as he could because knowing him, it would be a long time till he ever had a kid of his own.

His face slowly slipped into a frown as she grabbed one of the fingers that was softly caressing her face and shoved it in her mouth to suck still whining in annoyance.

He and Stuart hadn't yet found a name for her. They'd gone through the top names of that year, such as Ashely, Megan and Jenifer. They'd tried flower and plant names. Then they'd gone through foreign names at Stuart's request, being a linguist he thought he might be able to find one but so far none seemed to suit her at all.

They'd even asked Alfred for some suggestions but the only advice he could give was to give the girl something that could be shortened with tenderness and affection at home but also something that was refined and dignified, especially since she was going to be raised to become a lady in high society.

In Bruce's opinion he didn't care which culture the name came from, or how high or low brow it would be considered, but he did know that this girl needed to be called something pretty, unique and striking. Something just like her.

"You truly are a mystery" he sighed watching as his finger got covered by more drool. He took it out and quickly wiped it and winced when he heard her whimper of disapproval.

"Sorry little missy but no" he chastised her softly

She began to really whine now as if to say.

"I want it back now!"

"My finger is not a pacifier" he frowned down in mock anger, but then winced when he heard the whimpers turn into cries.

"No! No! No! Don't cry" he hissed beginning to rock her again.

Oh god what had he done?

He heard the radio from across the room and turned his head just in time to hear a voice singing, though he couldn't make out the words

Maybe he could try and calm her down with the music while he tried to think of a solution. He looked down at the crying girl in his arms and began trying to steadily rock as he made his way to the radio. He turned up the volume a little and a lovely soprano voice sang out in a sweet gentle voice.

"Say you'll love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you'll need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of yo~u!"

The baby girl in his arm's cries began softening down at once at the sound of this new voice.

"So you like this huh?" Bruce smiled down at her as a man's voice wafted into the song.

"Let me be your freedom, let me be your light. You're safe no one will find you. You're fears are far behind you"

"All I want is freedom a word with no more night. And you always beside me to hold me and to hide me"

"Then say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime. let me lead you from your solitude Say you need me with you here, beside you... anywhere you go, let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of you..."

Wait? Christine? Who is...oh…is this…Phantom of the Opera? Bruce opened his eyes as he pondered the musical's plot over in his head.

It followed story of musical genius with a facial deformity, which he hid behind a mask, obsessively trying to claim the heart of a beautiful songstress Christine Daae. After many attempts to take her for his own, including a couple of murders, the Phantom finally managed to bring her to his lair. However in the end he chose to let her go as he realised his feelings were unrequited for she had chosen her childhood sweetheart over him, though not before compassionately showing him the first form of love and kindness he'd ever had known. It was a sad story, about how love can bring out both the best and worst in a man. And yet the music made it sound so beautiful, as it captured the struggle and desperation of the man behind the mask as he tried to reach for a sliver of light in his dark lonely world…

Dark…lonely…

The Phantom was not the only one who'd known that sort of pain.

He looked down at the little baby girl in his arms. As the song had continued she'd calmed down considerably, almost in fact back asleep with her own thumb in her mouth. Holding her like this felt like holding a tiny light in his hands.

"…it's perfect…" Bruce felt himself smile fondly down at her and the twinge of pain almost vanished at once.

"What is?"

The Dark Knight, though he'd never admit it in later years, almost jumped out of his seat as he turned to look up at Alfred who was leaning over his shoulder smiling down at the sleeping babe that was currently being held protectively in his charges arms.

"Her name" Bruce gently pulled the baby away from his chest to allow the old butler to see her better.

"Oh? And what name might that be?" the grey eyebrows rose as they shrewdly assessed the younger man.

Bruce looked back down at the little baby in his arms and his smile returned "Christine"

There was a moment of silence where Bruce waited with bated breath as Alfred's, moustache quivered and bristled with thought. But he needn't have worried because the older man smiled happily.

"It suits her well master Bruce.

Bruce sighed heavily in relief as he looked towards the Christmas tree under which several presents sat, wrapped up neatly with colourful paper and ribbons.

"I hope I didn't get her something too cheesy and kitsch" he frowned as he caught sight of one of the larger packages.

"Putting all those material presents aside master Bruce, you have already given more than your fare share of presents?"

"Like what?" Bruce looked back up at his confidant of many years with confusion.

"Well for a start you gave her a name…you've given her a home, a family. But most importantly you've given her your love like a father would and that is a gift the little miss will treasure till the end of her days."

"I'm not her father Alfred. By blood or by law" Bruce stared up towards his parent's portrait above the fireplace. Both were smiling down at him but there was something missing in their glance that the artist had not been able to replicate in the paint strokes.

"That's not what she seems to think" Alfred's eyes strained to the little babe who turned in her sleep to snuggle closer into Bruce's chest. "And something tells me even if you are not bound by blood or law. She would not change her mind"

And with that the butler left the room, leaving Bruce behind to stare down at the child in his arms.

_Me…a father…?_

Could it be possible? Could he really fulfil the role of a father? He barely remembered much of how his own father had raised him, and then when he'd died, Alfred had taken up the position though he was distant in his own professional manner. But he, Bruce, was a different man to both of them. Sure it wouldn't be easy to raise a kid, and there was the fact that he was Batman, but still…he'd much rather prefer the idea of being Bruce Wayne the dad instead of Bruce Wayne the witless, rich and lonely playboy.

**_Ding! Ding! Ding!_ **

The little girl in his arms mewled again with annoyance as the clock on the mantel piece rang out the hour of midnight with a chiming sound that pierced the silence of the night.

Even if he couldn't be her dad, he still didn't want to not be a part of her life.

But the path of parenthood is strange and mysterious and little did the Dark Knight know that in fourteen years from now he would be struggling with a rebellious teenage daughter with super powers, and that he wouldn't want her to grow up at all.

But now she was sweet, innocent and untouched…and annoyed as hell at being reawaken from her nap once more. Chuckling Bruce rocked her gently in his arms and pulled her close up to kiss her forehead.

The whimpers faded into soft snores as the baby girl snuggled into her Daddy's chest as he whispered into her forehead.

"Merry Christmas Christine"


	25. Episode 22: Agendas

**?, November 25 2010, 04:03 EDT**

"Do you have to leave so soon" a bald man with dark eyebrows drawled as he lounged languidly on the large bed only covered in a red sheet.

He leered lustfully as a white blonde haired woman sat on the edge of the bed, strapping a pair of translucent black stockings to the black suspenders over her pale translucent skin.

"Oh Lex, you know I have plans today." She turned to pout all too innocently though her hazel eyes smouldered darkly. She watched with smugness as Lex Luthor licked his lips as his gaze trailed down her naked torso and down to the black lingerie that barely covered her hips.

As his eyes trailed upwards he noticed her looking at him and smirked.

"I know Scarlett. So do I… " he leaned up and held her steady by the waist as he flicked his tongue over the shell of her ear "But we can arrange for our plans to be…delayed"

"Maybe you can" Scarlett leaned into his hold as his mouth moved away from her ear to her neck. "But unfortunately this little project has to be done according to the time set to it or it won't work as it should"

"Of course, of course. But…that being said…" Lex's grip tightened around her as he bit into her flesh and she groaned softly.

"Alright…just little quick one then" she smirked wickedly as she allowed herself to be pulled back into the tangle of sheets.

**Wayne Manor, November 25 2010, 11:17 EDT**

_Ring! Ring!_

"Dick…it's on your side" a sleepy voice grumbled.

"Ok" Dick Grayson opened a bleary eye and yawned wide. Reluctantly he turned away from his partner to reach out and grab her phone from her bedside table.

He handed it to Christine who groggily sat up and stretched out. Dick smirked as he caught sight of her dark purple flannel PJ's with little brown teddy bears on it.

"Hello?" she mumbled grumpily as she put the phone to her ear. A second later her eyes widened, all sleep forgotten and her face paled.

"Chris-"

But she'd put a hand up to silence him. When she spoke her voice was trembling, though from fear or rage Dick couldn't tell.

"I see…yes I understand….yes…Goodbye"

She hung up the phone and got out of the bed.

"What happened?" Dick sat up very confused as Christine raced off to her wardrobe and tore through it at top speed.

"Nothing!" she clipped icily.

"It doesn't look like nothing" He barely blinked and already she was pulling over a snow jacket over her jumper, jeans and snow boots.

He sprung out of the bed and rushed to grab her hand before she could reach for a waterproof backpack.

"Where are you going?" he held her steady not relinquishing his hold on her wrist.

"Nowhere of your concern" she tried to yank her hand away but he tightened his grip even more.

"I can help-"

"No! You can't!" He frowned for a second as he noticed her shaking fingers as they tried to do up the satchel's drawstring. Something had freaked her out. Something big. Or someone…

"It's  _her_  isn't it?" The depths of those sparkling blues pierced the purple orbs with such intensity that Christine blushed. Then…

_Click!_

Dick looked up in shock from his wrist that was handcuffed to the bedpost as his partner backed away from him with watery eyes.

"Whatever you do. Don't follow me. Don't even leave the manor."

"Christine wait-"

"No Dick! Trust me it's safer this way"

Before Dick could retort she leant up and kissed him softly.

"Goodbye"

"NO! Christine! WAIT! CHRISTINE!"

* * *

**Gotham City, November 25 2010, 11:58 EDT**

Wallace West skidded to a halt into the open space and shuddered. All around him was snow and grey skies, which just made the tall gothic buildings that surrounded him even darker than normal.

He zipped up his red winter jacket, thanking his stars that he was wearing his friction proof thermals under his pants or else he'd be a Popsicle.

There was a tap at his shoulder.

"Jesus!"

He spun around and glowered at his younger friend Dick Grayson who was in a large dark blue jacket over his winter gear.

"Guess again"

Wally gulped.

The younger boys face was sterner than he'd ever seen it.

There was the crunching of snow beneath feet as Kaldur and Roy both stepped up to them, both in their own dark green and black winter jackets.

"Took you long enough" Roy glared.

"Hey! I came as quick as I could! And besides these winds cause a lot of drag" Wally pouted.

"Drag or no drag, our friend is most likely in trouble and we have to help her" Kaldur frowned.

"You do realise she's going to be pissed off with all of us for doing this?" Wally looked rather worriedly at all of them.

"But not as angry as she would be if we called Batman." Kaldur shook his head "I believe that's why you called us instead of him?" he looked pointedly at Dick who nodded.

"The last time the camera's noticed her, she was walking close to this spot but towards to the waterside" he pointed off down the street towards the south east.

"You mean somewhere close to the Boathouse Hotel?" Roy quirked an eyebrow.

"Boathouse Hotel?"

"Yeah y'know…that rich upper crust boat club where all those bitchy snobs all hang out"

"…OF COURSE!" Dick clapped a hand to his forehead "Of course she'd meet her there.  _She_  owns that place!"

"What? Chris-"

"NO!"

"Then who?" Kaldur asked in confusion.

"Red Queen" Roy frowned noticing the grim look on Dick's face.

"You mean the bitch that tried to kill her the last time!" Wally cried out in surprise and anger.

"But why…why target Christine now? She's already risked so much by targeting her last time, so why now?" Kaldur looked at Dick who gulped.

Dick looked at all of them gulping. He could tell them…they were his and Christine's friends after all but even she hadn't told them the real truth. Was it really his place to do so?

"It's… now don't freak out or anything because I'm not sure. Chris hasn't really told me herself… but I think…I think Red Queen…might be her mother"

"WHAT!" Roy, Wally and Kaldur yelled in unison.

"SHH! Keep it down." Dick hissed as he checked the street around them because at their exclamation a couple of families with their Christmas shopping turned to look at the teens in alarm.

Wally clapped a hand to his forehead and whistled under his breath "Dude, I know that Christine and her mother aren't the best of buds but this…this…it's ridiculous! It just can't be true!"

"But it is…" Kaldur's eyes narrowed as he looked down at the snow. "Remember what Christine said when she told us about Red Queen's last attack. She said 'I've always been on her radar' and that the two of them have had a history. Christine is one of our youngest team members and yet she's claiming to have more of a history with this villainess than most members of the Justice League. At first glance it's absurd, but if you factor in this theory it actually makes more sense."

"Yes it does. But what it doesn't explain is why a mother would want to murder her own child" Roy clenched his fists.

"Or why she lets her henchman sexually assault said child" Wally agreed.

"Unfortunately my friends…there are just some real sick people out there" Kaldur looked at Dick who sighed.

"If Christine's headed for the Boathouse we should go now."

"But we go in undercover" Kaldur looked at all the three other protégé's. "If Christine has been asked to come alone, then our presence might put her in further danger. At least if we're undercover we can slip into the place mostly unnoticed"

"Right!"

* * *

**The Boathouse (Gotham City), November 25 2010, 12:15 EDT**

The Boathouse Hotel. One of the gems of Gotham city. Pristine, clean with no sign of the wear, tear and grit of the rest of the dark hole. Now it was covered in white snow and glistening from the inside with cheerful Christmas songs and warmth.

Christine walked up towards the black iron gates where a man in black snow gear with a black respirator over his mouth was leaning against them waiting.

She avoided his amber eyes as she came closer to the gates

"You look well" Ishan smirked behind his mask as he reached forwards to touch her face.

Christine flinched as he gently stroked one of her bangs away from her eyes.

"Are you cold?"

"No." She quickly stepped away, unable to control her arms as she held them to herself on auto pilot as she glared up at him. "Where is she?"

"All in good time. But for now let's get you up to your room. The mistress has arranged a party and she would be very displeased if you turned up to it dressed like that" He opened the gates.

"I didn't come for a stupid party" Christine growled still standing in her spot "I came for Freddy. Nothing more. Nothing less. Now…Where is she?!"

"The only way you're going to get your friend back  _alive_  is if you co-operate with the mistresses requests. So I suggest you follow me." He grabbed her forearm roughly and pushed her in front of him to steer her inside.

Christine didn't protest but she didn't fake normalcy either as they entered the polished glittering lobby scowling darkly.

The concierge didn't even look up as Ishan forced her past him and into a deserted lift.

She counted the floors as they went up, trying not to notice and squirm at how her captor's hands were slowly trailing down her back towards her…

She felt his hot breath in her ear and shuddered despite herself.

"How much further?"

"Not much"

She had to gulp down her terror as she felt his hand slip under the layer of clothes over her torso to stroke her bare back up towards her bra strap.

"So I do affect you?" he sneered as he felt her skin tingle under his fingertips.

"Don't flatter yourself" she snapped as a small ding announced their arrival to floor thirty six.

His hand still up her shirt Ishan steered Christine towards the left, down to a room numbered 1313.

As soon as it was open Ishan removed his hand from her back and allowed Christine to step inside.

She saw that she was in a large suite with a balcony that overlooked Gotham Harbour, which was now grey in the winter sun.

_Escape point if necessary towards the south east. Anything else I can use?_

She looked around the room again. There was a large plush king sized bed on which, a large garment bag with a hanger lay in waiting with a pair of shoes on the floor and a bag of accessories and make up in a zip lock beside it. Close by there was a lounge and a small kitchen area with bar stools and a drinks cabinet that was fully stocked.

_Good! The Kitchen has plenty of utensils and a good stock of knives._

That calmed her down somewhat as she tried to think of ways to get rid of the man behind her. But she needn't have worried.

"I'll be waiting outside. Knock on the door when you're done and I'll take you back down stairs"

Ishan left the room and the door closed with a clack.

Christine sank down beside the bed.

She felt her eyes water as she held herself tight in a ball.

"No. you can't cry now. Freddy needs you. She needs you to be strong" She took a huge breath of shook her head to clear it.

Something touched her shoulder and as she jumped in alarm a pair of hand's held her fast with one clamping around her mouth.

"Calm down Chris it's me" a familiar voice hissed quietly in her ear.

Christine froze.

"Roy?"

She turned her head to see the archers face above her. He let go of her quickly and dragged her closer to the balcony where two more figures were slowly clambering over the railing.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Christine whispered angrily as Dick and Wally straightened up, dusting the snow from their pants. She noticed that they were all wearing black tuxes under their snow jackets.

"I think I could ask you the same question" Dick glared at her. "And handcuffing me to the bed? A  _great_  thanks giving present that was"

She looked guiltily down at the floor, afraid to see the hurt in his eyes

"Seriously Dick just forgive her already, you know she was only doing it to protect you" Roy scowled as he put a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah…hug, kiss/make out and make up" Wally grinned.

"Hug and make up maybe" Christine folded her arms and narrowed his eyes "But make out in front of you guys-"

"Not bloody likely" Dick scowled.

"Never stopped you two before" Roy muttered under his breath. "So wait hang on…did you really handcuff Dick to the bed?"

"Whoa!" Wally choked down his laugh as he clapped Dick on the back "You dog!"

"It wasn't like that at all!"

Both birds glared at their friends, blushing redder than tomatoes.

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

"Ahem! Christine are you almost done? The mistress is getting impatient"

"Oh no" Christine blanched so quickly that the boys jumped in alarm. "It's him"

"Who?" Wally asked but Dick's eyes were already widening with comprehension.

"Christine!" Ishan called louder.

"I'm coming…Soon!" She replied loudly keeping up her poker face but they all heard how shrill and shaky her voice was.

There was a dark chuckle from the other side of the door

"Do you need some help?"

"No!" Christine squeaked as she saw the door handle begin to turn. "hide! hide!" She hissed under her breath at her friends.

"Are you sure? If you want I can offer you some… _assistance_ "

At this Roy's blue eyes flashed violently and he lunged forwards, hissing and spitting like an angry cat.

"Assistance?! I'll  _assist_  him to his f-ing gra-pffmph!"

Dick and Wally grabbed their friend from behind and put a hand over his mouth to shut him up as Ishan called again.

"I beg your pardon Chris?"

"Nothing! I'm fine…I don't think I need anything to… Just stay outside! I'll be out soon" then she turned back to the boys as Roy writhed with fury.

"You guys too. Turn around so I can change." She muttered under her breath.

"What?" Dick stiffened. "You're going with him after all he's done to you?!"

"It's either I go with him or I loose Freddy"

"Your best friend?" Wally's eyebrows rose "What's she got to do with anything?"

"She doesn't have anything to do with this" Christine turned her back on them and walked back into the room. "That's exactly why Red Queen wants to drag her in"

* * *

A girl in a dark maroon dress, with blonde ringlets was standing in a corner of the large hotel ballroom, shifting her weight between her heeled feet and trying to ignore the metal gun of the masked man behind her pointed into the small of her back,

"Quit looking so glum" the man hissed "you're attracting too much attention."

"Kind of difficult to be calm when I've got something that goes bang, digging into my back!"

"Don't get smart with me, kid!" the man growled low

Freddy clenched her fists as she felt the cold metal barrel press further into her dress.

"Just shut up and look pretty you little tram-"

"Excuse me?" came a quiet calm voice.

Freddy looked up and despite her rather grim situation blushed a bright pink. A young man was standing in front of her, probably in his late teens, with brown skin, high cheekbones and a lean muscly build. Despite his skin tone, his hair was a short light blond which highlighted the unusual but remarkable light green shade of his eyes. He was wearing a plain black tux with a high collar, as if it were meant to hide his neck, but all of this suited him.

"Am I right in assuming that you are Miss Fredericka Lantern?" He smiled down at Freddy as he approached her and took her hand in gentlemanly fashion, bowing his head down to it.

"Yes" Freddy smiled back nervously as the strange boy let go of her hand and turned his attention to the man behind her.

"And you are sir?"

"None of your business" the man grumbled prodding Freddy in the back with the gun.

"I see…" The light green eyes narrowed for the smallest of moments before the stranger reached out to grab the hand of the gunman as if to shake his hand.

Freddy held a hand over her mouth to prevent her squeak of surprise. As soon as both men's hands had made contact there was a small crunch and a clatter as her captor gasped in pain reeling away spluttering quietly as the dark handsome stranger from before straightened up and grabbed his Adam's apple between a couple of fingers and squeezed.

After a couple of seconds the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head and the stranger let him slide to the floor, before kicking him under the white drape over the buffet table.

"Who…who are you?"

Freddy took one step away from the stranger in alarm as he sneakily tossed the gun into a large decorative potted plant.

"My name is Kaldur, I'm a friend of Christine's from the team"

"The team…OH!" Freddy's gasped excitedly as she assessed him over again "Oh! Oh-wowowwowo! Hang on by Kaldur…you mean…Kaldur as in Aqualad, Kaldur?!"

"Uh…yes?" Kaldur looked a little confused until he heard in his ear com.

" _Dick to_   _Kal! Have you found the hostage?_ "

"Yes, she's fine. I'll bring her over to you. Come we must hurry if we are to get you to safety miss Lantern"

"Freddy" Freddy corrected him on autopilot

"Pardon?" Kaldur quickly took her arm in his and gently began to tug her onto the dance floor where they assumed a waltzing hold like the rest of the dancers.

"It's just…my…friend's usually call me Freddy…that's all" Freddy blushed as Kaldur began to take the lead. Slowly steering them towards a point close to the exit

"So you consider me your friend?"

"Uh…yeah?" Freddy looked down on her feet to check them as they moved slightly clumsily in time with the smooth steps of the hero protégé who was looking quite surprised at her.

"But we only just met"

"If you're a friend of Christine's and she trusts you with her life on a daily basis that's good enough for me" Freddy looked up at him with bright determined eyes.

Kaldur nodded slowly in thought before smiling gently down at her in return.

"You both must be really close to be able to trust each other like that?"

"Oh we've been as thick as thieves since we were four" Freddy couldn't help but smile back as fond memories splashed across her mind "We're like family"

"I see…I think I begin to see some things more clearly now" Kaldur nodded keeping his eye out when he saw two red heads and a black head standing together chatting and trying to look inconspicuous amongst the crowd.

Freddy saw them too and her smile widened as the Dick looked up at her and gave her a small smile and a wink.

"Once we've finished dancing, either Roy, Wally or I will have will have to take you to the batcave for your protection while we try to help Christine deal with her…mother"

"Alright" Freddy nodded suddenly remembering why she was in this party in the first place. In Kaldur's calm and composed presence she'd almost forgotten her fears and was actually enjoying herself. No wonder Christine liked working with him.

Kaldur spun them both into an ending position in front of the group, but as soon as they'd taken a few steps towards them there was a small drawl behind them.

"Leaving so soon?"

Both of them wheeled around to see a woman standing a few feet away from them. She was tall, in fact even taller than the Atlantian boy in her short black pumps. Her white blond hair cut in a bob framed her extremely pale high cheekbones, sharp hazel eyes and bright red lips to match her long seductive satiny scarlet dress.

She took a step towards the young teenagers deftly placing her champagne glass over onto the empty tray of a passing waiter without even so much as a glance away from her prey

Kaldur, Roy, Wally and Dick all felt their breath stop short in their chests as the woman assessed them over with cold malicious contempt. There was something strangely familiar about the expression, like they'd seen it before…but on someone else's face. No…not just someone else…

Dick's eyes widened as a memory of Christine's temper snapping back on Halloween came to mind.

Yes…There was no mistaking it now…this woman…was without a doubt…Christine's mother…the formidable enemy of the Justice league…

"You do know" Red Queen smirked as she assessed the way Kaldur's hand tightened its grip on Freddy's "It is rude for a guest to leave the party without their host/hostess"

"Of course. How foolish and discourteous of us" Kaldur said through gritted teeth as he took the pale hand of his enemy and bowed his head down to it. He didn't make contact with it, purposefully not wanting to break eye contact lest something happened. Not that much could at this moment in time. The room was crowded with many people. It would be dangerous to provoke a scene.

Red Queen turned her eyes upon Freddy. The red lips sneered slightly and the poor girl began to tremble in absolute fright. She couldn't pinpoint why…but there was something horrifying about looking into the cold depths of those hazel orbs.

"Sorry… mam"

Kaldur gently pushed her in the midst of himself, Dick, Roy and Wally who were all glaring daggers at the woman in front of them.

There was a cough from their side and all of them turned to see a pair of people standing right there next to them.

One was a young man, tall, fair skinned with amber eyes and a mop of neatly styled curls dressed in a sharp black suit with a crisp white dress shirt underneath.

"Mam" He smiled politely to Red Queen, whom he gave a light bow before turning to present his partner who turned to look at him and his partner who was a rather small young woman, with dark brown hair tied up in a neat bun and brown eyes that surveyed the room coldly. She was dressed in a deep magenta fifties style evening halter dress with a black satin bow tied around her waist to match the ribbon that held her hair up in a bun.

"Hello… _Scarlett_."

"Ah! Christine how lovely you look" Red Queen simpered in a mocking coo stepping towards her daughter to hug her only for the young girl to slap away her hand.

"I have enough filth on my hands without you touching me" Christine snapped with such icy venom that all five of the young men winced at the tones.

Red Queen's pretentious smile faltered and was replaced by a sneer. "I see you're barbaric attitude has not changed since last we met"

"If a murdering, psychopathic blood soaked criminal is what people call civilised, then I will gladly be a barbarian any day"

"Just because you have your friends with you little girl, doesn't make you any less weaker than you really are"

"Maybe not" Christine admitted quietly "But it doesn't make you any stronger either"

"On the contrary my little swiftlet" Red Queen hissed "me taking down not just you, but all you're little friends too, will make my victory all the sweeter. And I can assure you when I'm through no one will ever remember you"

"But, Scarlett, you may make the world forget about us with your victory but should you fail" her smirk turned positively wicked now "No one will let  _you_  forget it"

A look of red hot anger splashed over the older woman's face so fast as if someone had shot a flame across it, but the next minute it was replaced by a cold look of indifference.

"I see you have yet to change your wit or your ways"

"I  
could say the same for you" Christine narrowed her eyes as she strode to stand right up in her mother's face. "But let me make one thing  _very_  clear. You touch one more hair on any of my friend's or my family's heads and I will cleave yours off your neck and put it on a silver platter for the dogs of hell to feed upon"

She didn't know why she was feeling so bold all of a sudden. Maybe it was because her friends were standing by her, or maybe it was seeing her best friend being put in mortal danger. But now that she thought about it. She realised that she did not really care. All she really knew now was that she was sick and tired of bowing down and cowering beneath the shadow of this travesty of a human being.

Red Queen looked down on her surprised for a moment, but then began to chuckle darkly.

"Well, well, well my dear daughter. You certainly are getting better at your threats. Almost as good as I was at your age."

Her chuckle's turned slightly louder as said daughter's face flashed with anger.

"I am no daughter of yours" Christine hissed furiously "I have no mother!"

The chuckles stopped abruptly though Red Queen still smirked. "Oh yes I forgot, you're Bruce's little  _daddy's girl_  now…or are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Christine breathed her heart stopping in her chest.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Oh, my dear," Red Queen tittered softly.

Dick, Kaldur, Roy and Wally all twitched in their spots ready to spring forwards as the older woman leaned down to hiss softly in her daughter's ears.

"You of all people here should know by now that the Batman is a man of secrets and lies. It's only natural that he keep you from the truth. 0-0-1-3-1-3-0-1-2-0-0-6. Bottom drawer of the grand study desk in Wayne Manor. You want answers, well they're all there"

Red Queen straightened up and looked round at them all.

"I will admit, you boys were surprisingly fast on the uptake this time" she smirked at Dick, Roy, Wally and Kaldur who were still crowded protectively around Freddy who was looking remarkably scared.

"A bit too fast for my liking. Completely cut into our quality time together" Ishan muttered under his breath as he looked up and down Christine's back as she walked past him to stand with her friends.

Dick's head whipped to look at him so fast it was a miracle his neck didn't snap. His eyes were blazing with a blue fire as he balked forwards. Wally and Roy both grabbed his shoulder to hold him steady

"Don't listen to him." The speedster hissed in his best friend's ear as Roy put a protective arm around Christine's shoulder and brought her and Freddy together at the back so that both girls were hidden from view.

Sensing the tension, Kaldur stepped forwards and gave a small bob of the head to their adversaries.

"Thank you…for inviting us to your party. I assure you we had…a splendid time."

The tone was polite, but was edged with revulsion. Kaldur didn't really care though, especially since both the woman and the young man before him had caused one of his friends so much harm and hurt.

"Let's go my friends. We're done here"

Red Queen watched them go with a frown, keeping her eyes on the brunette girl as she tremulously held onto her little sobbing blond friend's shoulders gently. All the other boys were still around them almost like a little human shield as they tried to comfort the two girls.

"Ishan"

"Yes Mam?" Ishan asked uncertainly his eyes also on the group as they exited the room and turned a corner out of sight.

"Fetch me another glass of Champagne?" she clicked her fingers impatiently.

Ishan blinked for a moment until she gave another sharp, irritable click which sent him scurrying off back into the crowd.

Red Queen frowned as she rummaged through her clutch purse and pulled out a cigarette which she promptly stuck between her red lips.

_It seems you have dealt yourself a good hand as well Bruce. A very good hand indeed._

Then she smirked as she lit it up, the smell of the smoke filling her nostrils with that disgustingly addictive scent.

_But let's see how you fare against my trump card._

Oh yes…Bruce was going to be in for hell…she was sure of it.

* * *

**Wayne Manor, December 1 2010, 20:19 EDT**

Dick paced up and down the length of the party room where his birthday celebration was to be held. Everything was set, drinks were ready, the decorations in place. It was almost time for the guests to arrive, but something was still missing… his partner.

He caught the faintest sight of his reflection in the glass over a painting on the wall and nervously tried to flatten his hair back down. Just as he managed to get the last lock down he saw a pair of heeled feet descend the faint staircase behind him.

He turned and his jaw dropped.

Christine blushed as she came down the last few steps, tugging down the hem of her tight strapless black mini skirted dress, so that it at least covered half her thighs. But that didn't stop Dick's eyes probing up and down her body, from her black and gold heels up to her low sweetheart neckline.

He then looked up into her face and saw that her hair was loose about her shoulders, but styled super straight. In her heels she was roughly his height, if not slightly taller, but Dick didn't care.

"Hey" she smiled shyly as she walked over to him. "Does it look ok?"

"Ok? You look amazing!" he strode over to her as she fiddled with something in her hands.

"Really? Even with the glasses?" she said as she flipped open the glasses case and pulled out her pair of slim dressy glasses.

"Especially with the glasses" he nodded as he helped adjust them on the bridge of her nose which he kissed lightly before pressing his forehead against hers.

He felt her soft hands take his own and put something cold and metallic in them. Still not moving his forehead away from hers he looked down and opened out his palm. In it was a dog tag on a thin ball chain, very much like her own but with a symbol of two wings on a vertical axis. He turned it over and saw inscribed on the other side a pair of names.

_John Grayson_

_Mary Grayson_

"So you can always keep them close" Christine murmured timidly, still blushing to the roots of her dark hair. "Happy Birthday Richard"

It wasn't often that his full name was spoken, usually because Dick hated being called by it. Even Alfred didn't use it when addressing him. But even so, the boy wonder found that he didn't really mind it now, when it was being said with such tender affection.

"Thank you Christine" Dick's hands trembled slightly as he brought his arms around her.

They stayed like that for a while, or what might have been seconds, neither could really tell, until…

"Christine…about thanksgiving-"

"Ahem!" came a loud cough.

Both looked up to see Alfred standing halfway down the stairs with raised eyebrows "Forgive me for intruding on your personal time, young Master and miss, but your first guests have arrived. Shall I show them in or should I keep them entertained while you two continue?"

"Err…" Dick and Christine both blushed with slight embarrassment as they let go of each other.

"Show them in" Dick said as he quickly clipped the dog tag and shoved it down the front of his shirt.

* * *

They didn't invite Roy, Wally and Kaldur but all the ex-sidekicks had done their own birthday celebrations the day before with a massive gaming hangout. Christine had also invited Freddy along to that gathering. The girl was adamant to thank all the boys for helping rescue her from Red Queen, especially Kaldur, whom she kissed on the cheek to show her gratitude. Christine couldn't think of a time within the past six months when she had ever seen her team leader go so red faced.

But those celebrations were over and the boy and girl wonder both had to adhere to maintaining their public images with this party.

Most of their cohort from Gotham Academy were there as well as a few friends from other years, including Artemis and Bette, much to Christine's amusement as Artemis always was a bit confused as to Christine's strange familiarity with her.

What the girl wonder didn't like however was that one of Dick's supposed friends from the basketball team had turned up incredibly late and had invited Candice Delany as his plus one.

"Christine"

"Candice"

Dick, who was currently hiding behind Artemis and Bette at the Foosball table, could've sworn that lightning belonging to Captain Marvel had flashed between the two girls as they glared each other up and down. It didn't make anything better when just a second later someone in the crowd yelled for a game of spin the bottle, which was agreed upon with many a cheer from the other guests.

Artemis, who was seated beside Dick in the large circle, gave a small frown as she looked between the two. She still couldn't pinpoint why or how she knew this but the two Gotham Royals were kind of reminding her of Robin and Swift just before a tough mission, what with some of the nervous ticks and stiffness. There definitely was something bothering Christine as she shakily took off her heels and tossed them behind her so that she was barefooted.

_Must be the sugar overdose_

Artemis reasoned in her head. Well she had had more junk food tonight than she had throughout the year. This whole familiarity with Dick and Christine might have been just her stomach playing up on her.

The turns to spin the bottle went around the room, starting from Bette and going anti clockwise until it was Christine's turn.

"Pff! Jesus Christine it's a bottle not a cobra" Freddy smirked as her best friend gulped when she reached out to hold it anxiety coursing through her veins. She hated games with peer pressure like this.

Dick tensed up as his partner's hands gripped the empty soda bottle and spun it round hard.

Round and round and round it went over the wooden floor. It was almost making him sick just watching it. He tried to think of something else, but all his mind could think of was what would happen if it was him who had to go into the closet with her.

If it landed on him then their relationship would finally become public. Nobody at school knew just yet that they were going out save their immediate group of Freddy, Barbara, Martin and George, and even then they too were keeping their mouths shut.

On the other hand, he didn't think he could bear it if the bottle landed on another guy. Dick had seen a lot of his other male classmates ogling Christine's long legs all night and the beast in his stomach was now growling for their heads to be put on silver platters.

His hands clenched as he quickly looked up at her and saw that she was leaning forwards to watch the bottle. His face turned pink as he caught sight of her metal dog tag, which was hung low so that it lay in the shadowy gap between her bosom and dress, and noticed for the first time that night that she wasn't wearing a bra. He felt his abdomen tighten uncomfortably.

_Whoa mama!_

He was glad everyone was looking at the decelerating bottle and not him as he crossed his legs sneakily to hide his hormonal body.

Then there was a bunch of snickers as the bottle came to a stop.

"Whoa! Look at that!"

"Now it's getting interesting!"

"It's pointing straight at him!"

Dick looked up from his pants and stared wide eyed at the bottle end facing him.

"C'mon Birthday Boy!"

"Yeah Grayson! She won you fair and square"

Dick caught Christine's eye and she gave him an apologetic shrug. Someone whooped loudly and they both rolled their eyes in unison.

"Okay! Okay! Calm down. I'm fourteen not nine" Dick said irritably as he stood up. He walked over to Christine and held out a hand.

"You ready for what comes next?" he sounded confident enough, but she could hear the nerves laced lightly in his voice.

She nodded silently as she took his hand.

They both strode quickly to the storage closet across the other end of the room, trying to ignore the wolf whistles and the jeers of their peers. They took their time ambling nervously through the room, hoping everyone else wouldn't notice, but their prayers went unanswered as usual when someone let out a groan of aggravation.

"Oh come on you two hurry up and get in there!"

There were many grumbles of agreement and suddenly the two birds found many hands pushing and shoving them into the closet.

"HEY!" Christine yelled as she stumbled with Dick unceremoniously shoved on top of her.

"Ow!" he grunted as they both heard the door shut with a snap. There was a click and some giggling and Christine gulped.

"Uh…Did they just lock the door on us?"

"Yep" he popped the p but rather unenthusiastically.

"Oy birthday boy!" Came Barbara's voice from the other side of the door. "You've got fifteen minutes! Don't waste it"

"Yeah Man! You got her in there now grab some action from her before I do" a guy jeered.

"Piss off Jerry!" Dick snapped positively seething. There was a loud "ooooo!" from outside.

"Dick its ok," Christine said quietly putting a soothing hand to his cheek "we don't have to do anything if you don't want to"

"I never said I didn't want to do anything" Dick sighed before fixing her with his piercing blue eyes.

"Dick?"

"You never did tell me why you left me behind on Thanksgiving" he murmured gravely

"I…I…I just…didn't want you to get hurt" Christine blushed as he took a step forwards and she took one back so that her back was held up against the wall of shelves.

"Is that the only reason?" Their breaths came out short and sharp as their hearts paces quickened with each bit of space between them lost.

"Yes"

"Christine-"

"Dick I'm serious. I was just worried. Freddy's life was already at risk…I didn't want to worry about losing you too"

"I'll be the judge of whether you lose me or not" they were both now so close that Dick could see the fading bruise mark on her neck, the one that had  _not_  been made by him. "That bastard, how dare he?"

"Stop worrying, I'm fine." Christine looked away from him blushing hard as he leaned further in. "Dick are you sure you want to do this her-"

"Yes…" Dick breathed against her mouth.

"You mean…?" Christine looked up with wide eyes to see the blue orbs smouldering into her own brown ones.

"I'm tired of  _us_  staying in the shadows like this." he brushed his lips against hers making her breath hitch in her throat. "So no more secrets…no more lies…not even between us. All I want is your trust…and you"

Christine nodded a tear falling down her face.

"I love you" she whispered as Dick caught the tear with his kiss before it fell.

"Say it again" he muttered shutting his eyes as he leaned in to plant his lips on her jawline.

"I love you" she repeated holding him to her as he peppered the underside of her chin with feather light kisses.

"Keep saying it" he slurred as he dragged his lips slowly so they trailed downwards.

"I love you" she drew a ragged breath and sighed.

His hands fell to her waist as her hands dug into his forearms, her nails digging through the soft black material of his dress shirt as his mouth moved sinuously over her neck. She used his arms and pulled their fronts together so that he could feel her curves.

A shudder of thrill tingled up her spine as his devilishly long fingers began to trail up her ribs.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he smirked enjoying the friction as she shifted her stomach against his.

"You're distracting me" she sucked in a deep breath as she tilted her head back of her own accord, revealing more of her swan neck, which he proceeded to cover with his mouth at once.

She felt his fingers graze the sides of her chest swiping over her flesh as he nipped at a particularly sensitive spot beneath her jaw. Her grip on his arm tightened in surprise but then slackened with satisfaction as she felt him suck at it slowly, twirling his tongue around the inflamed skin round and round.

"Mmmmm!"

They both stopped abruptly. Christine pulled away from Dick in alarm as he began chuckling.

"What's wrong?"

"Shut up! I'm still new to all this" she squeaked in mortification.

She could feel her face getting redder and redder as she looked at their entwined bodies, at their mussed up hair, their flushed faces. As Dick moved his body against hers she felt a wonderfully strange friction that sent both their hearts hammering in their chests. But far from calm her down, it just heightened her nerves tenfold.

_Oh my god! What are we doing?_

She strained her ears to hear outside the closet. It was mostly silent except for a few small giggles from Barbara and Freddy.

"Shit!" she groaned face planting herself into Dick's chest. "They heard us!"

"Well" he grinned affectionately down "on the bright side, at least we weren't heard by Bruce"

There was a deep gravelly cough and a large shadowy foot appeared in the lit up gap between door and floor. Both teens froze as the lock clicked open.

_So much for the bright side_

Dick's face fell as the door opened to reveal a tall, dark haired man in a dark suit with a blue tie that matched his deep, now very stern eyes.

"Hi…dad…" Christine gulped as Bruce Wayne folded his arms, suddenly looking more like his alter ego. He glanced down to the spot where Dick's lips had been, eyes trailing over the small wet patches where the remnants of saliva still glistened, all the way to a small blossoming bruise right in the nook above her voice box and below her jaw.

Then he heaved a sigh. "We'll discuss this later" he muttered darkly before saying in a much louder voice "it's time to cut the cake"

He kept his mouth in a thin line as both teens rushed out past him, both red faced to join their circle of friends who all were grinning sneakily as they stood around the large round cake, decorated with red icing.

"Well sir" Alfred muttered low so that only his charge could hear. "It would seem that Miss Christine is not such a little girl anymore"

"No…I guess she's not" Bruce grumbled.

Well this just made his day!


	26. Episode 23: Insecurity/Halcyon

**Wayne Manor, December 5 2010, 08:08 EDT**

Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth both smirked with amusement as Dick trudged in on his own into the brightly lit kitchen.

"Good morning to you young master" the old butler smiled as he placed a hot bowl of milk and box of cereal on the counter.

"Mo-Morning Alfie, Mornin Bruce" Dick yawned.

"Good Morning to you too" Bruce smiled as he took out two sections of the newspaper he was reading. He handed Dick the comic strips and set down the puzzles in Christine's empty spot that lay in between theirs.

"You two didn't spend the night together?" It wasn't unusual in this cold snowy weather for the two of them to share a bed as they slept, especially since the Manor's rooms could get a little chilly.

"I would…if she wasn't on the rag!" Dick's face turned into a miserable pout.

"And when has that ever stopped you?" Bruce raised an eyebrow as Dick piled his bowl with cereal.

"It hasn't but this time she's really fussy and snappy. Can't even turn over and she gets all pissed off. And I barely even touch her! Or steal the blanket!" the poor boy huffed in aggravation.

"Alright! Alright! Just calm down" Bruce patted his shoulder consolingly "You know how she likes her sleep. She might just have cramps that are making her uncomfortable."

"More uncomfortable than normal?" Dick grumbled mulishly. At this point Alfred sighed.

"Despite her mature mindset young master Dick, Miss Christine still a developing girl which means that there will be times her hormones are going to be out of sorts. I daresay there's going to be plenty more…uncomfortable nights for her"

"Speaking of hormones," Bruce's eyes narrowed slightly as he folded up his newspaper.

Dick turned round to catch Alfred's eyes as the old butler worked on cooking at the stove.

"Uh…Alfie do we have any more Crunchy-"

"Richard John Grayson, don't you dare change the subject" Bruce's eyes narrowed even more.

Dick looked at Alfred pleadingly but the old man shook his head gravely.

"I'm sorry young master but Master Bruce has a point to make and I'd think you'd be wise to listen to him"

_That's it…I'm done for_

Dick gulped as he was fixed with the stern dark blue orbs and suddenly found himself wishing there were white lenses to cover them up.

"Dick" Bruce began, a little more gently than his previous exclamation but still quite stern "Whatever is happening in yours and Christine's…relationship is-"

"Is none of your business!" Dick cried out angrily. "I-I love her! And we aren't going to split up just because you or someone else can't stand it"

"I've never said I don't like your relationship with each other. Now will you let me finish or will I have to force you sit down." Bruce said calmly, though internally he was slightly irritated. He'd had to listen to too many angry teenage yells over the past few months and he just wanted to get through the last part of the year without any more tension. So he was very pleased to see Dick's mouth shut up at once.

The Dark Knight took a deep breath and continued.

"I just wanted to say that I want you both to be careful. Not emotionally, I know you're both old enough and capable of handling those on your own, but physically too"

"Please don't tell me you're gonna-" Dick's face paled with mortified dread but Bruce steamrolled through his protest smoothly.

"Just promise me you won't pressure her into doing something she's not ready to do. And if and when you do get round to…doing it-"

"Oh no! Oh-no-no-no-no-no! Don't you say it too-"

"-play it safe and use the proper protection!"

"Oh for Christ's sake! Bruce!" Dick put his head in his hands to hide his face as Alfred chuckled from behind him. Even Bruce quirked a small smile. He couldn't help it, Dick was always squeamish about talking about stuff like this with him but then he back tracked on the boy's protests.

"You said 'don't you say it too?' who's been telling you stuff?" Bruce asked curiously.

"Roy…Wally…Kaldur… but mostly just Roy" Dick sighed again. "Seriously! The way he kept going on and on like that, you'd think I was dating his little sister or something"

At this Bruce and Alfred both exchanged knowing glances.

_Thump! Thump! Thump!_

They all turned round to see Christine fully dressed in her ballet training gear, with a large royal purple duffel under her arm, run down the kitchen stairs and into the room.

"Hey guys" she puffed.

"And where are you off to?" Bruce watched as she snatched up her piece of newspaper and shoved it into the duffel.

"Final dress rehearsal for the Company before tomorrow's performance" she quickly grabbed her mug of hot chocolate and skulled it down.

"Which story were you performing again?" Alfred resisted the urge to tut her rather unladylike behaviour, as she drained the mug.

"The Nutcracker" she wheezed after swallowing. The hot chocolate was steaming hot in her mouth. "And I'm Clara" she groaned in exasperation.

"The lead? But I thought juniors didn't usually take the lead roles?" Dick tilted his head to the side.

It was common knowledge to most that, the Gotham Academy Ballet class were also a part of the junior section of the Gotham Ballet company. They didn't usually perform in any of the big performances like the Christmas ballet or the summer gala with the adults or late teenagers, usually filling in as extras and sometimes as stage hands for work experience.

"Yeah but, in the Nutcracker, sometimes the roles of Clara and her prince are performed by…kids…so…shit! One moment." Christine clapped a hand to her forehead.

Bruce, Dick and Alfred all watched with some amusement as she dove into her duffel, rummaging through it before heaving a sigh.

"Oh thank goodness! It's there" she zipped the bag shut, but not before Bruce saw a glimpse of her purple utility belt peeking out from beneath her pink satin pointe shoes.

"Hey" Dick put a gentle hand on her shoulder "you'll do fine. Besides take it from me, the rehearsals suck but the performance usually goes well"

"This time I'm not so sure" Christine flumped down into her chair as Alfred set in front of her a plate filled with a big breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast with butter and jam, sausages and homemade hash browns "half the time I'm terrified of screwing up a step, especially in that Pas de Deux. And Martin and I are still having trouble with entering the fish dive lift so we'll have to practice that section of the dance for another hour or two."

"So you'll be rehearsing till late then?" Bruce raised his eyebrows as she began shovelling food into her mouth at a speed that would put Wally West and Barry Allen both to shame.

"Yeah…I might stay at Freddy's so I probably won't make patrol tonight" Christine swallowed down the last morsel before accidently letting loose a tiny belch.

"Whoops! Excuse me" she blushed sheepishly as Alfred's eyes widened in shock, as he took the plate from her.

Dick cackled loudly before leaning over to kiss her on the side of the head. "Don't worry, you'll do fine."

"I hope so" She grumbled as a beeping sound came from the pocket of her cardigan. She pulled out her phone and looked at it.

"Well, Freddy's here so I guess I should get going. See you tomorrow." she leaned in to kiss Dick who grinned into her hold, quite unperturbed by the presence of the two older men in the room.

Bruce bristled uncomfortably in his seat. No matter how many times he'd seen them kiss it never got easier to watch.

"Ahem" He gave a loud cough when he could see the two of them begin to use tongues.

"Oh right" Christine blushed as she pulled away from Dick who shot a fowl look at his mentor as he got a kiss on the cheek from his daughter, smirking smugly… until both of them were whacked behind their heads.

"OW!"

"Alfred make sure these two behave themselves" Christine waggled her finger at the old butler who chuckled fondly.

"I will do my best young miss. Break a leg."

"Will do. See ya!" Christine called as she dashed out of the kitchen door.

* * *

**Gotham City Opera House, December 6 2010, 20:10 EDT**

_Tap-tap! Tap-tap! Tap-tap!_

"Will you cut that out Martin?" Christine snapped irritably as she tried to carefully brush a smidgeon of blush onto her pale made up cheeks.

"Alright! Alright! Yeash! Don't have to snap my head off!" Martin pouted as he clenched his hand to stop himself from drumming his fingers on his dressing table. He was dressed in a red and blue tin soldier outfit, with a large fake head of an ugly Nutcracker held under his arm.

"Damn I hate this" he groaned as he looked at his now plain brown hair. The director had been adamant that he remove all hair dye from it, much to the boy's chagrin.

"What are you complaining about?! At least you don't look like you stepped out of Downtown Abbey" Christine sighed staring at her reflection in the mirror and bristled uncomfortably.

Oh god she looked like Wendy Darling from the Disney version of Peter Pan. What with her dark hair tied and styled in a high ponytail with tight ringlets, rosy cheeks and lips and brown contacts over her purple eyes. It didn't help her self-confidence to know that she was wearing an old fashioned pale blue lace dress like one of those creepy antique dolls with the large staring eyes. She much preferred her other outfit, the simple white Victorian night dress that was thankfully hanging somewhere just off stage on a hook on the wall waiting for her to put it on at the end of the first few scenes.

The only real consolation she could see was that at least she was just expected to dance and not sing. That would have been an absolute act of social suicide. Christine could not sing to save her life, her voice almost always coming out like an out of tune screech, just like (in Roy Harper's most delicate way of putting it) like that penguin Mumble from happy feet.

There were several thundering of feet outside the door to the dressing room and the door creaked open.

"Chris, Marty. You've got ten minutes to get to the wings before the curtain rises" Martin and Christine looked up as a young Asian woman in a white dressing robe poked her head through the door. Her face was sweet as she smiled kindly, her jet black hair glistening as the shiny pins that held it up in a high bun sparkled in the dim light. "Oh my goodness you both look wonderful!"

"Hello Mai" Christine and Martin both couldn't help but smile.

Mai Fan-Ren was a senior at Gotham Academy and the pride and joy of the Gotham Ballet Company. She was kind, beautiful and the epitome of a perfect lady. Needless to say it was no surprise to Christine as to how she'd managed to get the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

"You both excited for your big debut?" Mai asked excitedly

"Err…" Christine looked down at her shoes. "Would I sound stupid if I said we were scared…uh?"

"Shitless?" Martin finished for her.

Mai's smile softened. "Oh you'll be fine. Just do what I do. Pretend you're at dress rehearsal with no one in the audience" there was a loud call from above.

"Oh! Madam Fletcher is calling. See you guys later. Break a leg" Mai dashed out the door.

_Imagine an empty audience. Easier said than done._

"Hey what's up with you now?" Martin chuckled as Christine checked her phone which had just buzzed. She flicked it open and saw the message from a blocked number.

_"Meet me at the Gotham private airport at 16:45 EDT, exit C. 31_ _st_ _December. We have much to discuss. I know you'll shine the brightest in your debut performance. Forever yours, Ishan"_

Had this been sent to her four years ago she might have smiled but now that she knew what he'd become, her eyes hardened with disgust as she texted him back.

**"** _We'll see_ **.** _And quit the ass kissing, in fact quit talking to me period. What you've done to me it can't be undone, nor condoned._ **"**

She waited for a moment hoping that nothing would come back in response. However she was sorely disappointed.

**"** _You are a cruel woman, but perhaps that's why I love you. And I whilst you say such harsh words you and I both know there is too much history between us for you to ignore me completely._ **"**

"Who's that from?" Martin frowned as he hovered over her shoulder before a look of surprise flashed over his face. "Oh…is that…Your ex?"

Christine growled in frustration and shut her phone with a snap.

"Like hell he is! Let's just get out of here and to that bloody stage!" she shoved the device into her small handbag on the dresser, before putting it back into her duffel. She'd think about it later, for now she had a Ballet to perform.

* * *

Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson both stepped out of the limousine and onto the red carpeted path leading up to the entrance of the grand building.

For once the two of them were truly smiling for real as they waved at the cameramen and press that were pushing and shoving against each other behind the red velvet rope. This wasn't like any other night where they had to put on their masks because this would be the one where even they would probably enjoy themselves.

"Hey Bruce! Dick!"

Bruce and Dick both turned to see another small group of people walking towards them. At the Front was Oliver Queen with Dinah at his arm, with all the rest of the original justice leaguers who were all mingling with each other?

"Dude!" there was a call as a red head charged through to grab Dick around the shoulders.

"Hey Wally" The camera's flashed brighter than ever as Dick grinned, slinging his arm around his best friend's shoulders just as a pair of people came up the stairs to them.

"Roy, Kal you came!"

"Of course" Roy scoffed softly. "Just because I don't usually go to Ballets doesn't mean I can't appreciate good theatre"

"That and because Christine begged you to come with her magic puppy dog eyes" Wally and Dick both smirked.

"I will admit" Kaldur steamrolled over all of them to avoid an argument, because the press were all going into a frenzy over their little group as they followed the adults "I have never seen a full Ballet live before, let alone heard about this… Nutcracker. Tell me what is the story?"

"It's about some girl who gets a Nutcracker for a present at Christmas. Then she saves him from being beaten up by a rat and goes on some adventure with him to the land of Sweets or something." Wally shrugged.

"We'll get a brochure once we're inside" Dick nodded just as they followed the group of adults into the entrance. They let themselves be searched by security before being given the all clear to join the rest of the Justice Leaguers who were led by Bruce just as a young curly blonde haired girl ran out a side passage towards them in a dark blue evening dress.

"Hey Freddy!"

"Oh Hey you're all here! Good! Phew." she puffed putting both hands on her knees before looking up at all the adults in front.

"Hello Mr. Wayne" she grinned up at him. All the other leaguers eyebrows rose at this statement but the millionaire just smiled patiently.

"Hello Freddy. Are you alright?"

"Me? Yeah totally A-OK!" Freddy straightened up and smiled at them all.

"To those of you who don't know me I'm Fredericka Lantern, or you can just call me Freddy for short I don't really care. Anyways I'm Christine's best friend and I will be taking care of you all this evening. So if you would please follow me up this way"

They all proceeded to follow her up to one of the higher larger centre boxes which offered a fantastic view of the entire stage and orchestra without much difficulty even from the back seats.

"So how is our leading lady" Dick muttered in an undertone as the four protégé's made their way towards the front most seats. With three of them being shorter than most of the adults no one really complained. Dick leaned into whisper into Freddy's ear as she settled herself beside him to the right next to Kaldur, with Dick, Wally and Roy on the other side of her.

"She's looking as gorgeous as ever if I may say so myself" Freddy smirked knowingly at the boy wonder.

"Is she nervous?"

"Obviously yes" Freddy rolled her eyes.

"Why did something go wrong?"

"Stage fright" Freddy shrugged nonchalantly.

"Stage fright?" Wally's eyes widened in surprise. "Christine gets stage fright?"

"Yeah. And really badly too." Freddy nodded solemnly "Poor thing. She almost froze for a whole five minutes during the dress rehearsal yesterday when she had to make her entrance. I told the stupid director she has issues with it but he was so excited about the prospect of a full house that he had to blast his mouth off to everyone before they started the scene."

"That is quite unfortunate" Kaldur winced with sympathy "Considering her talent"

"Tell me about it. I just hope she can make it into her first scene without a hitch."

"Is it just the first scene, or every time she enters?" Dick asked.

"No! It's just that first appearance, because as you know being the lead she has to make good first impressions"

"True" Dick nodded remembering his performance days in the circus and how nervous his parents used to get before entering their big number "Very true. So how did you get her to calm down?"

"Martin and I took her out for lunch. Got her to laugh, eat and take her mind off things for an hour or so. The power of food is quite amazing"

"Indeed it is" Wally smiled knowingly earning a lot of rolling eyes.

"If you five are quite finished" came a small mutter as Bruce Wayne leaned over in his chair to tap Dick on the shoulder "they're dimming the lights right now"

"Oh right…sorry" Freddy smiled sheepishly up at the dark knight who nodded in acknowledgment just as the orchestra in the orchestral pit began to tune up their instruments.

Bruce leaned back in his chair and thought hard about what he'd just heard. He never knew Christine got terrible stage fright. He knew she hated public speaking, but then again not many people liked it at all. But stage fright? For ballet?

Dancing was one of her better talents, in fact it came as a very close second to her linguistic skills with martial arts coming at an even closer third. She wasn't afraid to make a dramatic entrance when she was Swift, so she couldn't have doubted her own theatrical abilities. What could have made her so scared of stepping onto a stage for her dancing?

He had a sneaking suspicion that this strange fear had been another influence from that damned woman, Scarlett. Yes. He wouldn't put it past that sneaky bitch to undermine her daughter's talents at every chance she got. Something about his anger must have shown on his face because he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Bruce. It's starting now" He turned and saw Diana smiling kindly at him. Bruce nodded and turned back to the stage just as the big red curtain began to open and the overture began to play.

A small little stall had been set up where what seemed to be an old man (Mr Drosselmeyer) had popped up behind. They all watched with amusement as he made an elaborate demonstration of packing away a colourful nutcracker in a brightly wrapped box as a present before walking out of the door of his shop, which smoothly moved off stage as the backdrop changed. Now Drosselmeyer was in a dark cobble stone street and walking up towards a small set of stairs that led off stage.

He greeted a couple of extras who were dressed up as an assortment of, nun's, a couple of mothers with their children and even a little match girl before exiting the stage.

The scene changed. The audience had now been taken to the inside of a large house where an enormous Christmas tree, adorned with lights and colourful baubles stood amongst a sea of overly large presents, all of which was positioned between the arms of a grand duel staircase. Around it many adult dancers flitted around in Victorian dresses and suits as they placed certain ornaments around the room.

This went on for a while until one man in a brown suit strode up to a woman in a white dress who was presumably his wife, as they both were holding hands, and gestured towards the stair cases. They saw him mime a call. At once little marching music began and from the left arm of the stairs a group of boys, ranging between the ages of nine to fifteen years old began to march down the stairs like a little troupe, chests all puffed out like little roosters.

Once they were down the stairs then the wife mimed a call to the right side where a group of girls, who seemed around the same age as the boys, gently trotted down the stairs looking remarkably sweet in their soft dresses and Ballet slippers.

Bruce noticed with slight worry that Christine wasn't amongst them. So it seemed did the ballerina on stage who mimed another call. There was a small pregnant pause that made everyone wait with bated breath.

There was a tiny rustle from somewhere off stage as a slender pale hand crept out onto the banister. Bruce could see the other dancers on stage exchange a collective look of relief as shyly, softly, Christine stepped out onto the top of the staircase.

She was wearing a pale sky blue silk dress with short sleeves and a soft tulle skirt, under which she wore her sheer pale tights and white satin pointe shoes. Her hair was curled in ringlets and pulled back into a high ponytail, tied with a midnight blue satin ribbon.

Dick couldn't help the smile that crept over his face at the sight of her she descended the staircase with small graceful steps, her feet as silent as a cats. The man who had issued the first call ran forwards as she reached the last three and caught her smoothly into a lift, holding her gently above him as he twirled her round in the air before settling her down to the ground where she deftly ran into the arms of the man's wife with whom she spun around with gently before the woman invited her to join with the other children,

All the protégé's and Freddy heaved a soft sigh of relief as they watched her friend sit comfortably at the side with the girls, settling one of the smallest on her lap and exchanging a small giggle with them before turning to watch as the parents entered a dance of their own that resembled a kind of polka. Soon the dance ended, with a small smattering applause from the audience before the children stood up for their turn. Everyone watched with smiles on their faces as Christine and the boys and girls formed two lines opposite one another before performing a lively little number that involved lots of skipping and spinning in circles.

Dick had to blink several times as he watched his partner spin round and round with a younger boy with short blonde hair, smiling with excitement and joy as they linked arms and switched partners.

How was she not dizzy?

A few moments later the dance finally ended as the children all came back to the centre and bowed to their partners.

Another small applause issued, many of the adults in the audience smiling delightedly as the charming children gave them a small bow/curtsy.

Then there was a loud knocking of the door, and Drosselmeyer reappeared from stage right with several assistants who were pushing several oversized boxes of presents that were taller than some of the smaller children.

_Must be dancers inside them_

Bruce smirked amusedly as Drosselmeyer mimed a grand show and tell and presented the first gift, out of which a man jumped out in a colourful jesters outfit.

The Dark Knight couldn't help but cringe at the sight of the character, which while he danced well with many a jump and leap; it still disturbed the hell out of him. He'd obviously spent too much time chasing and fighting the Joker in these past few years.

He was glad when the man stopped dancing and a woman dressed as a wind up doll in a pink tutu took centre stage with a stiff routine completely en pointe. Then from the third box the last dancer popped out a large cuddly brown teddy bear, whose movements were slightly clunky in his furry suit. Then Drosselmeyer took out the normal sized box they'd seen him packing at the start and opened it up to show the Nutcracker toy. The audience watched as the nutcracker was handed over to Christine who accepted it with a large joyful smile.

She proceeded to show it off to the other children and adults, with many an excited twirl on her toes, her ringlets gently flying behind her with her smooth movements. Then she was called by the woman she'd hugged before, who was probably playing her mother, and was asked to put down the nutcracker to dance with the adults in a waltz. During the waltz, which was slow, some of the little boys from before crept up to the place where the Nutcracker was standing and tried grabbing at it.

"little bum" Roy muttered smirking with amusement as the toy fell to the ground an arm broken.

Wally and Dick both snickered, but caught themselves quickly as the dance stopped and Christine rushed over to the nutcracker doll just as the man who played her father pretended to scold the boy, who was probably the son, (the protégé's were only guessing at this point in time but they assumed they were right.).

Drosselmeyer came forth again and fixed the Nutcracker as best he could, putting the doll's arm in a sling before handing him back to Christine who proceeded to cradle it like a baby as she and the other girls cooed over it.

A few moments later after the mother and father both made the signal for the children to go to bed, which was obeyed with many a silent protest from Christine, who eventually conceded to let her Nutcracker doll remain on a cabinet on the side of the stage. Once all the children had made their way up the adults followed and the stage darkened.

The audience clapped loudly now.

They were pulling back the cabinets and the presents and replacing them with giant replicas of them, even the cabinet at the side of the stage was huge and now holding several dancers dressed up as tin soldiers. They could also see the human sized black booted feet that hung over the edge of the cabinet, in the spot the Nutcracker had been laid to rest.

There was a pause of silence during which smoke began to billow into the set from offstage. Then the music started again, low and threatening.

A shadow moved amongst the smoke, dark and with a long tail. Freddy shuddered in her seat.

"Ah yes that's right" Dick smirked.

"What?" Wally whispered softly.

"It's the battle with the  **rats** " the boy wonder smirked as Freddy shivered again.

She glared at him sidelong before glowering back at the stage just as a dancer in a ragged soldier's uniform, with a fake rat tail and large rodent mask over his head snuck into view with several other fellow dancers. There was a small pause before they all scurried away to hide behind some of the larger presents as someone descended down the stairs again.

It was Christine and this time she was in a long sleeved white old fashioned night dress that only reached just above her knees.

They watched as she crept cautiously around the presents making her way towards the cabinet where the now human Nutcracker was lying. But before she could pass the centre stage the rats from before pounced out of hiding.

Dick had to hide his derisive snort behind his hand as Christine made a very shocked face with her hands delicately over her mouth.

Had this been any other normal time, she would've been able to floor those other dancers within seconds. It was just too weird for the boy wonder to comprehend her feeling scared at being ambushed by some goons. The other boys seemed to share this point of view because they all smirked.

"Oh man if only they knew" Wally hissed as Christine ran quickly around the stage as she was chased by the rat dancers. One eventually caught her and lifted her high above him before bringing her down and gently shoving her towards his fellows who each in turn proceeded to pick her up in increasingly extravagant lifts until finally their king arrived. He was perhaps the most recognizable of them all as he was wearing a large shaggy mantel over his costume and had a crown on top of the mask in between the rodent ears. He greeted his vermin subjects grandly before Christine was roughly presented to him despite her feeble damsel in distress protests.

But just as the rat king was about to swoop down on her the Nutcracker on the giant cabinet suddenly sprang to life. He sprung down to Christine as the Rat King cursed his luck and ordered his troops to attack. But not before the tin soldiers from the cupboard sprang down to help.

"Not bad" Roy nodded in approval as a fight scene ensued between the toys and rodents with many a bang and smoke bombs from the pyro-technicians. The music was reaching a crescendo as the Nutcracker and Rat King fought the former slowly but surely getting beaten down. Finally he was struck down to the ground injured. The Rat King raised his sword…

Then the musicians struck hard and the Rat King flailed away his tail caught in a giant mouse trap maneuvered by Christine and the tin soldiers. As he fell forwards the injured Nutcracker held up his sword and it went through him, or at least he stuck it under his armpit. The rats all fled the scene as their king fell to the floor dead as a door nail.

Christine then ran over to her saviour who lay on the floor seemingly dying until she held his hand in her own and kissed it.

Bruce smirked down at Dick who bristled uncomfortably in his seat below and in front. The boy wonder just could not rein in his jealousy sometimes. Then there was a change in the tone of the music and the Nutcracker seemed to revive, the other toys around him spring to their feet and begin to circle round both Christine and the Nutcracker until…

The Nutcracker is hoisted high up in the air by the other tin soldiers, his oversized costume head off revealing Martin's slightly flushed face. The audience gasped, but Freddy and Dick were clapping their hands over their mouths to stifle their giggles.

Martin was let down to the ground where he took Christine by the hands and spun her round till he took her in his arms for a dance around the toy dancers who were all miming celebration around them.

Christine and Martin moved seamlessly together, more like one entity than just two dancers. It was easy to tell that there was plenty of trust between the two of them as Christine was quite content to leap at him so that he could catch her in a turn or lift or jump. Not that he would feel much different holding her since she was so light on her feet.

The audience clapped loudly with many a whistle and a cheer as Martin and Christine ended their dance with an incredible one handed supported lift, with the other dancers around them ending in their own manner.

They all bowed off and exited the stage, as the scene changed to a wintery pine forest with fake snow falling gently from the top of the stage.

"It's a shame Christine hasn't shown us this back at the cave" Kaldur clapped looking rather impressed. "She's very good"

"Yeah…she sure is" Dick smiled softly as he watched the scene change to that of a snowy forest which Christine and Martin both danced diagonally across from the stage left to the back stage right, before a group of dancers came in from the back of stage left all female in white tutu's based on a snowflake motif. The women danced round the stage for a while until finally another pair of people danced in, a man who led a woman who was shuffling on the stage completely on pointe.

They danced for twenty minutes or so, going through the famous waltz of the snowflakes before finishing the act with the man holding the woman in front of him as she did a perfect arabesque.

There was another loud applause as the pair bowed off to the audience and then to each other before stepping to the side to allow the other snowflakes to bow. Then the red curtain closed and the audience began to titter in their seats as a voice announced over the speakers.

" _Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen. This is the end of Act 1. We shall be having an intermission of about twenty minutes so feel free to stretch your legs and mingle before you return_ _to your seats_ _._ **"**

"Well she made it through" Wally muttered to the other protégé's who all nodded in agreement. While at the behind them Bruce was being congratulated by the other leaguers.

"Bruce you should've told us Christine could dance so well" Diana hissed. "I would've been delighted to show her some of the dancing back from Themyscira"

"I agree" Dinah nodded "this talent could prove very useful for her fighting skills."

"How so?" Oliver exchanged amused glances with Barry and Clark.

"Well, there are plenty of martial arts that are very reminiscent of dancing" Dinah shrugged. "And the more she learns the more she can create her own style that suits her"

"A dancing superhero…" Hal smirked "that would be weird"

"Oh really? Well then I'd like to see you try to top that performance" Freddy turned round in her seat and smirked at the red face of said superhero as everyone else all snickered.

Bruce shook his head with amusement as an image of the rest of the Justice Leaguers trying to dance Ballet came into his mind. Oh that would be priceless.

Meanwhile backstage Christine and Martin both hugged excitedly with the other tin soldiers and toy dancers.

"Oh my god!" she mouthed jumping up and down. "We did it! We did it!"

"I know" Martin was grinning widely. "We got through!"

"Whoa! Hold your horses there you two. That was just the first half" One of the tin soldiers, a guy in his early twenties chuckled with his fellows.

"Yeah, Pete's right, there's still plenty more to go with the second half"

Christine and Martin's both grinned at each other.

"I think we'll manage"

The older dancers laughed with amusement before patting them both on the back jovially.

All that happened after that moment was pretty much an excitable blur when all the dancers each took to the stage in turn to present a colourful display of the variety of sweets in their magical world they were charged with creating.

Everything was moving so fast to Christine that it seemed like merely five seconds later she found herself dashing between stage hands and dancers to get to her spot for the final dance.

_Oh god! It's here. Please don't screw up! Please don't screw up!_

She reached her spot and sighed as she saw Mai and her partner just about finishing their routine.

She caught Martin's eye as he came into position on the other side of the stage. He gave her a steady nod.

Mai and her partner bowed with much applause and exited the stage on Martin's side just as he ran in and, quite literally, leapt into action. Despite his meeker appearance he gained quite a lot of air as he propelled himself. There were many oo's and ahh's from the audience and Christine felt herself smile as he finished his solo with a strong pose.

_My turn_

She gulped, but then….something wonderful happened…

A gust of wind blew through her ringlet hair. From where it came from she didn't know but it made her smile fondly, like she was being hugged by an old wonderful friend.

She twirled onto the stage, completely forgetting the steps she'd been practicing for the past two months, but she didn't care. She didn't even see the audience in front of her as she twirled, jumped and flew across the stage in a hauntingly graceful whirl, letting the music take her soul and losing her heart in each step as she soared across the stage. She could barely remember the last time she'd danced for herself like this.

Back in the box Bruce was staring at his daughter, wondering whether or not the choreographer was bipolar and had completely changed from his obvious formalist style for something more unique and contemporary. But something in his gut told him it wasn't.

As long as the Dark Knight could remember Christine always had a sylph like physique and way of moving. Even when she was on duty as Swift, she couldn't hide her natural grace, something that even the many of the villains of Gotham had noticed and even mocked. The rough and tough Batman, mentor to a lithe and poised little bird. Such a concept had certainly made many headlines.

As she came closer to their side of the stage he caught sight of her expression. It was soft, happy, free of strain, free of care and worry as she shut her eyes and smiled, her euphoria making her seem to glow brightly from within.

He looked down at the rest of the audience who could barely take their eyes off her as she leapt high into the air in a jette before landing soundlessly and beginning a series of pirouettes.

"Jesus Christ how the hell is she even doing that?" even Barry the speedster was having a hard time keeping up with his eyes as Christine kept going round and round and round and round and-

The protégé's jaws in front were dropping lower than their knees.

Back on stage Martin heard his musical cue but was not sure what to do. Christine had totally taken off, completely off course.

_Well I can't let her have all the fun_

A grin spread over his face as he rushed into the staged as she finished her series of pirouettes with a dramatic pose, her arms delicately raised above her head which stretched backwards over her wonderfully extended legs.

There was a loud applause from the audience as Martin quickly came by her side and took her waist in his arms. Christine looked slightly surprised but accepted his intervention gracefully as they re-entered their duet, though this time they paid little attention to their intended choreography. The only thing they really stuck to were the positions based on the timing of the music as they moved over the stage. Those were important as they highlighted all the hardest and most dramatic moments.

They were almost at the end. Christine could feel the music from rise from the orchestral pit beneath, her heart was racing in her chest and so was Martin's. She could feel it through his costumed chest that was pressed against her back as she extended in a quick arabesque assisted by him.

"Ready for the big one?" He muttered.

"Born that way" she smirked

_Oh, I have been hanging around the boys way too often_

She thought, almost laughing at herself, as she was lifted up into the air still in her arabesque. She shut her eyes as Martin took one of her arms and wrapped it around her waist just below the ribcage whilst his other arm went around her the thigh of her working leg just above the knee.

The music began to roll along getting faster and faster, building up as he tilted her downwards, bending one of his knees as she bent her standing leg into a parallel passe. Christine took a deep breath and tensed her core tightly as she brought her upper body slightly upright to achieve that perfect curve.

The conductor held his orchestra on the last note Martin and Christine removed their hands from each other to hold them elegantly to the side before he made the ending gesture.

The audience exploded into a cacophony of cheers and whistles as the dancing pair straightened back up into a standing position to bow to them. Christine could faintly hear cries of

"Bravo! Bravo!"

She looked up toward one of the higher boxes and her smile widened as she caught sight of Freddy and the boys standing up high, right in front of Bruce and the civilian disguised justice leaguers.

_Oh god! He brought all the original seven too?!_

But she had no time to exchange long distance communications as the rest of the cast came on for a last group dance. She and Martin were made to shuffle back towards back stage where she had to crouch out of sight on the floor as the dancers proceeded to end their part with a fantastic group finish. As soon as they'd bowed the lights dimmed to blue and the set began to move and be replaced by the Christmas tree and the hall. Christine dashed back into the centre stage close to the tree's base with the presents and flung herself to the floor

"Here" Martin shoved the toy Nutcracker into her hands and dashed off stage hidden by the remaining dancers as they all departed off the stage. Christine quickly shut her eyes and laid her head on the ground as the last of them dashed out of her way to leave her alone on stage, pretending to be asleep.

There was a pause and then the ending music began to play, softly. She opened her eyes and sat up blinking.

_Oh great! thanks a lot lighting guys!_

The spotlight above her was right in her eyes. She looked down at her Nutcracker doll in her arms just so that she was spared the pain of looking into the light just as she heard a pitter patter of feet from the staircase. The woman who played her mother quickly made her way downstairs. Christine placed the doll in her arms on the floor as she quickly ran up to the woman who took her by the hands, smiling warmly with pride before allowing herself to be led off stage, leaving the doll in the spotlight as the curtain closed.

She smiled as the lights went off behind the curtain her eyes still on the toy on the ground. There was a tap at her shoulder and she looked up to see Martin grinning.

"Now we can celebrate!"

* * *

**Gotham City Opera House, December 6 2010, 22:54 EDT**

Christine was sitting alone in her dressing room surrounded by bouquets of flowers wiping off the stage make-up from her face when their came a knock on the door.

"Come in" she called still focusing on removing her eye make-up.

The door creaked open and a mop of black cowlicks peeked through.

"Hey, hey, hey! There's my favourite leading lady"

"Dick!" Christine smiled as Dick came in to the room alone holding a small bouquet of white roses. He placed them next to all the other flowers beside her and pulled her into a hug, which she returned at once.

"Where are the others?" she asked looking at the closed door.

"They're still trying to make their way here" he smirked leaning in for a kiss but she put a finger up to his lips to stop him.

"You mean you shook them off backstage? That was bad of you"

"You know I can't help it. I'm such a  _bad_  boy." Dick grinned mischievously.

"You do know you sound like Wally now right?"

But then she giggled shyly.

"Was it good?"

"What was?"

"You idiot" she rolled her eyes "the performance! How was it? Did you like it?"

"Liked it? I loved it! Have I ever told you that your butt looks really  _S-E-X-Y_  when you D-A-N-C-E? I think I might have a hard time keeping my hands off you." He grinned accentuating the last word by pinching her clothed behind with his devilish hands. She squeaked in surprise and jumped in his hold.

"Richard John Grayson you dirty little scoundrel!"

Dick cackled still holding her close as she lightly hit at his chest, still smiling despite her surprise.

"Oh quit the modest act Chris! I know you know you like it" he murmured.

"Hmm…maybe" she smirked teasingly brushing her lips against his but then pulling them back before he could press into them properly.

"Oh you're in real trouble now missy" Dick's voice was slightly deeper than normal and Christine couldn't help the shudder up her spine as she saw the depths of those bright blue eyes smoulder faintly.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up into his arms kissing her deeply as he placed her on top of the dresser.

She giggled loudly as he grabbed her knees and wrapped them around his waist.

"Shh! Or we'll get caught again." he chuckled before diving down to her mouth. Christine couldn't help the groan that came out of her mouth when his hot tongue began to tangle with hers.

"Are you sure you're a novice at this?" He muttered breaking apart a little before smothering her again.

"Yes why?" she gasped and gripped at his scalp tightly making him grunt a little.

"Because you sure don't move like one" he gripped her waist tight kneading it in his fingers as he took her bottom lip and sucked on it lightly. Her thighs tightened around his narrow waist and her hands travelled down from his head to grip at the front of his tuxedo.

_Thump-thump-thump!_

Dick and Christine both jumped in alarm as a loud voice called through the dressing room door.

"Oy Dick, when you two are able to come up for air let us know. There are some of us who want to actually congratulate Christine in the  _normal_  way!"

"Alright Freddy! This is getting ridiculous?" Dick mumbled pulling away from Christine, pouting grumpily "We even locked the door and they still knew what was going on"

"Well the walls in this part of the building are rather thin" Christine shrugged nervously.

"And your heads are really thick if you think a wall is gonna stop us knowing what you two are up to" Roy's amused voice called through the door.

"Just you watch it Ginger Arrow! Or these slippers of mine will crack your head!" Christine snapped taking her legs off Dick who stepped away from her in time as the door opened with a click.

Roy, Wally, Freddy and Kaldur all filed into the room smiling slyly as the two birds quickly tried to settle their wrinkled clothes and mussed up hair.

"You were just incredible on that stage" Freddy hugged her best friend tight. "Especially that second act solo"

"I didn't even know what I was doing" Christine admitted.

"Well whatever you did, you did it extremely well" Kaldur smiled.

"You should be proud" Roy agreed walking over to ruffle the ringlets on the back of her head.

"'cause y'know, we are" Wally's grin softened.

"Thanks, you have no idea what it means to hear that from you guys" Christine wiped at her eyes.

"Oh there goes the mascara!" Freddy rushed forwards taking one of the wipes from the table top and dabbing at Christine's cheeks were a line of black was streaking down, guided by that one tear.

The boys all snorted with laughter.

"You arses!" Christine scowled before sighing. "Phew…"

"You ok?" Dick smirked.

"I'm… officially pooped out!" Christine shut her eyes as Freddy kept removing her make-up.

"And how are you feeling about…err…" Wally quickly shut his mouth as Roy and Kaldur glared at him fiercely. But too late, Christine already had figured out the meaning.

"Whatever my mother had planned for me will be put on hold" she said simply.

There was a pause in which even Freddy was staring dumbfounded at her.

"Come again?" Wally's eyes were bulging out of his head.

"I'm not going to look in dad's desk drawer, no matter how curious I feel. If I'm going to figure out the truth from him anyway I'd rather ask him myself than go sneakily behind his back"

Christine didn't mention the text message. She was afraid she'd snap again like how she'd done on her birthday. Oh how Ishan got under her skin…it unnerved her at how he knew exactly what to say to piss her off.

She watched as Kaldur awkwardly tried to change the topic back to the performance, but she didn't take part in the conversation for quite some time as the nagging feeling that had been pressing in the back of her head suddenly became more pronounced.

The chess board was set to play, its warriors of red and white waiting on its surface for the first move. All that remained now was for the players themselves to mentally prepare themselves and take their seats.

_And when we take our seats…_

Christine's shut her eyes.

_…_ _the war shall begin…_

Her mind began to drift…

_Farewell… Halcyon days_

...Turning all to black


	27. Episode 24: Performance

**Mount Justice, December 15 2010, 15:34 EDT**

"I still can't believe you've joined the team!" Swift exclaimed in excitement as she and Red Arrow walked down the length of one of the cave's numerous hallways.

"Yeah…I thought it would be…good to be able to work with you guys more often."

"Translation being that you miss hanging out with the old crowd"

Swift smirked knowingly.

"…yeah…kinda" Red Arrow nodded before looking down at his feet, his face pink "But don't tell anyone else that ok? Because if you do I will deny it!"

"Oh, my lips are perfectly sealed Mr Harper!" Swift replied lightly, though her eyes were mischievous.

Normally by now the older archer would have snapped moodily in reply. Now however he gave her a sneaky smirk.

"Speaking of lips, how far have you and boy wonder gone? Still just making out or have you both-"

"OH my god! ROY! Don't even go there!" Swift whined her face turning fire hydrant red as Red Arrow cracked up laughing just as a voice echoed from the main hall.

"Advanced weapon's tech has been stolen at manufacturing plants throughout Europe"

"speak of the devil" Red Arrow smirked as they made their way into the large hall where Robin was standing in front of a holo screen map of Europe, with Artemis, M'gann and Conner standing opposite him.

"And each theft coincides with tour stops made by the Haly's circus-"

_Oh Dick…_

Swift and Red Arrow both exchanged worried looks as they continued to walk towards the group. Robin didn't seem to notice them as he was finishing up.

"-Batman's sending us undercover to catch the thieves."

"This clown car have room for two more?" Red Arrow smirked with some satisfaction when Robin jumped round in surprise.

"Uh…uh…no, no! We got this covered…"

"You've got the mission covered" Red Arrow leaned in to whisper quietly. "But who's covering the three potential mole suspects"

"Alright you're in but Swift is-"

"Coming with" Swift narrowed her eyes and folded her arms.

Robin gulped and Red Arrow sighed patting his shoulder smirking.

"You do know neither of us won't be able to stop her once she puts her mind to something"

Robin's shoulders sagged. The archer had him on that one.

* * *

**Bruges, December 22 2010, 20:08 CET**

"You ready for this missy?"

"…I'm not sure…"

"Hey you just received a standing ovation for a ballet, you'll be fine."

"It's not me I'm worried about. It's you"

"Me?"

"Yes Di-Dan you-"

_Shhh! guys we're on!_

A spotlight shone brightly on top of an elevated platform high above a sea of excited faces where two figures, a boy and a girl.

The boy was wearing a white tunic and mask with swirly red details over a pair of white tights and shoes, with his black hair mussed up over his head. The girl was also attired similarly, but she had a red leotard underneath her tunic and her dark brown hair was tied in a plaited bun.

They both smiled and waved down at the crowd before propelling themselves off onto a trapeze to swing high into the air, over the floor of the centre ring where a man in a red coat and black top hat with a cane in his hand announced loudly.

"[Dames en heren!] [Madame's et Messieur's!] Ladies and Gentlemen. WELCOME! To The Haly International Travelling Circus! Where the world of the centre ring is your oyster! And these are our latest  _pearls_  the Daring Dangers! Dan Danger!"

The spotlight shone on the flying boy as he let go of his partner in mid-air -

"Danielle Danger!"

-as she caught onto another swinging girl's hands. This one was dressed in just the same outfit but was taller and had lighter brown hair.

"Dawn Danger!"

Another pair of spotlights hit the floor where another pair, a girl lean and blonde-

"Diane Danger!"

-And a boy muscular and auburn haired-

"Dane Danger!"

Both prepped up their archery bows with three arrows each to shoot for the centre, just as another boy strongly built with black hair began to juggle large green barrels in the air between them.

"And Dean Danger!"

Three of the barrels were tossed high into the air, just as the archers released their six arrows. The three trapeze artists all let go of their poles and flew through the empty barrels in perfect sync.

The small brunette with the bun then caught the boy's hands as they swung away, her hanging onto the trapeze by her knees and him dangling from her wrists before letting go for a brief moment, twisting his body round, and catching them again. All before the trapeze had reached the peak of its ascent upwards.

"You have never seen a trapeze act like this folks, and all performed without a net!"

But then the audience gasped. The boy on the trapeze had been thrown forwards to be caught by the older girl but their hands had missed each other's in mid-air.

_ROBIN!_

M'gann and Christine both cried out in terror as they saw the boy wonder fall from the great height.

 _Don't blow our cover!_ Dick could feel through the mind link, the Martian girl begin to go into her telekinetic trance.

 _But saving your life's OK?_  Conner called up from the ground where he picked up an empty barrel and tossed it easily into the air.

Dick caught it and he quickly zoomed up towards Christine's hands which were swinging down towards him as she was held by the feet by M'gann who was hanging upside down from her knees.

_Oh no! You're too low!_

Christine gasped

 _Don't panic_!

Dick knew she was right but still he reached out desperately, even though his fingertips only grazed hers slightly

From a distance he saw two tiny green lights shine behind M'gann's stage mask and he suddenly felt his body lift up those last few centimetres into his partner's grasp. She clenched his clammy hand tight.

_M'gann what did I just say?!_

Dick raised his eyebrows.

_The crowd couldn't see me doing telekinesis from below._

M'gann pouted as she, Christine and Dick all swung back up onto one of the podiums.

_Besides …I've been using it all night. I'm not exactly the acrobats you and Swift are._

_Yeah well neither am I right now, I think I caught that 24 hour bug that's been going around the circus. But the show must go on._

Dick sighed smiling as he felt his partner's hand squeeze his own sweating one briefly. He was glad she'd pushed him to let her join him for this mission.

They performed a few more flips and daring dos before they all came down together to bow off in the centre ring. Roy and Conner were on the outside of the line up with M'gann and Artemis next to them (respectively) leaving both the birds in the centre.

_Now what are you worrying your pretty head off for?_

Dick puffed as he put an arm around Christine's waist, so that he could lean on her without looking to conspicuous. She looked sidelong at him as they waved to the crowd and saw he was sweating profusely.

_For a moment there I wasn't sure if you'd make it through._

Christine admitted sidling slightly closer to him

 _Neither was I._   _Help me back stage_

He leaned a bit more into her allowing her to take on his extra weight as they and the others walked out of the spotlight and left the centre ring. As they passed through they saw the fire breather, a man in a red devil kind of outfit, and the blonde haired blue eyed roustabout talking.

The latter caught Christine's eye as she walked by still holding Dick up as they struggled to get to their allotted spot backstage. He smiled at her and she smiled back, though the boy wonder saw that when she looked away there was something troubling her.

"I'm not sure I like that guy" she explained quietly, noticing his questioning look.

"What do you mean?"

"I…don't really know…it's just…I just have a really bad gut feeling I guess." They stopped as they reached their little area and put a hand to his forehead. "You've got a bit of a temperature"

"Really? I didn't even notice" He tried smiling but it came out sloppy.

Christine rolled her eyes fondly, just as something gently nudged her side.

"Diva twins at twelve o'clock"

Roy nodded towards a pair of dark skinned performers in blue and yellow costumes who were walking up to Haly who had just come off from presenting the next act.

"Haly what's the deal? Giving the top slot to those  _Danger_  kids!"

"That's our slot" the other twin hissed.

" _Was_  you're slot" Haly corrected sternly "until you missed your performance in Paris"

"Carlo was sick! He's better now" the first twin gestured towards his brother who cried out in agreement"

"Plus those Danger's are a sham! They say they're brothers and sisters, but they don't even look alike. Gha!" Carlo jumped as he caught sight of Christine's very nasty glare she sent his way.

"Agh! You just don't like the competition" Haly shook his head in exasperation as he pushed past them only to come face to face with a grey haired man in a dark suit.

"Oh for crying out loud! Not you again! We're in the middle of a show!"

"Then we'll talk after. But we will talk" the man folded his arms as he stared grimly down at the old ringmaster "Another city last week, another tech firm robbed, another stop on  _your_  tour. If I prove you're responsible, I will shut you down."

Haly's face looked pale and stricken, but he took a deep breath and mastered himself.

"I've got three minutes to gather props and get back to the centre ring"

He strode away leaving the man in the suit in the same room as the team.

Dick straightened himself up as the man walked over to them, rummaging in his suit pocket for what appeared to be a badge which he flashed at them quickly.

"Faraday, Interpol. New act?"

"Yeah." Christine nodded as she recognised the insignia.

"Just joined the tour" Dick agreed exchanging a quick glance with her. The badge was legit they were certain of it, but that still didn't help their mood.

"Guess that clears you." Faraday sighed "But don't get too comfortable. Haly's going down for this"

He turned his back on them just as Dick made to balk forwards angrily, but Christine grabbed her partner by the shoulders and pulled him back. Faraday glanced back at the boy wonder who narrowed his eyes dangerously at him, watching as the older man walked away to interrogate the rest of the circus acts.

As soon as he was out of sight Christine loosened her grip and gently turned him so that he was looking her right in the eye.

"You still look out of it" she muttered putting her hand back to his forehead.

"I'm still going to that warehouse" Dick muttered mulishly.

"I know" she sighed in exasperation.

* * *

**Bruges, December 22 2010, 21:36 CET**

Swift was crouched next to Superboy as they peered over the edge of a building that was perpendicular to the large tech firm they were spying out.

Even though the others couldn't see it she was gripping two ice blue strands of the north wind in each hand. Thanks to the onset of winter, she'd managed to get more practice with wielding them in her hands like whips. Even so she couldn't wait for the other seasons to come. Now that she was getting the hang of her powers she was really looking forward to seeing how they worked.

_If Interpol's already on this, why are we bothering?_

Superboy grumbled in his head. He hated staking out like this and they'd been in their spots for over half an hour already.

_Because Batman said so. Why? You had something better to do?_

Robin snapped. He and Miss Martian were standing on a building opposite the firm.

_Ahem!_

Swift narrowed her eyes as she gripped the blue strands tighter in her hands. She felt the collective shiver throughout the mental link.

_Sorry_

She blushed slightly embarrassed and loosened her grip. The temperature of the air went back to normal.

_How do we know the thieves will hit here?_

Artemis called from her location with Red Arrow who narrowed his eyes as he peered down at the street.

_There are more obvious targets._

_And Faraday will probably have most of them covered_

Robin explained quickly.

_We've analysed the tech already stolen and the pattern suggests this is the place. Ugh!_

_You ok Rob?_

Swift asked worriedly.

_No…pretty lousy actually. But I'll manage. I might need to hit the sack hard for a while._

Robin gave a lopsided grin.

_Fair enough. But still, try not to over exert yourself before that. You might make the fever worse_

_Ok, thanks for the tip Nurse Swift_

_You just had to say that didn't you?_

Swift rolled her eyes as she heard Artemis and Miss Martian snort through the link. She felt too Roy bristle uncomfortably but Superboy was not paying attention to their teasing.

_Contact: North East Quadrant_

Swift's eyes snapped onto the point where Superboy was looking.

_Well, Well, Well! Now what have we got here_

Her eyebrows rose as a dark figure on the ground leapt over the perimeter fence with some pretty neat acrobatic skills

_Looks like we know why Carlo missed a performance_

Superboy nodded with narrow eyes.

_It could be Carlo…it could be his brother. But keep an open mind and move in_

Robin ordered. Swift jumped onto the ledge and was about to leap off to fly when something clicked.

She turned and saw Superboy shoving something quickly into his pocket before rubbing at his forearm.

"Conner…" she asked timidly as she saw him grunt a little.

"I'm fine, just go"

Swift gulped but flew quickly down to the spot where Robin, Miss Martian, Artemis and Red Arrow were all crouched in a huddle.

_Did you see where he went?_

Robin asked but Swift shook her head

_Nope too dark even for my eyes_

There was a thump as Superboy landed behind her. He was getting better at landing silently from his super jumps.

After a couple of minutes of silence he narrowed his eyes

"He's at the warehouse"

They all made their way silently in the direction Superboy was pointing and soon they found themselves in the shadows of a large crowded warehouse.

Swift and Robin were at the head sneaking around a large crate till the girl wonder felt a gust of wind brush her ear. She tilted her head towards it as it carried the sound of wood being broken.

_This way_

She dragged her partner by the hand and they peered around a crate.

 _Good work missy_.

Robin grinned squeezing her hand before nimbly jumping on top of the crate. Swift flew up silently, joining Miss Martian in the air as Superboy, Artemis and Red Arrow all jumped up on adjacent crates.

They saw the darkly clothed masked man below as he broke open a crate with a crowbar and took out a metal box from within.

Robin let out a soft cackle that echoed eerily around the almost dead warehouse walls.

"Caught red handed! Red faced too I'll bet"

The thief wheeled round and saw them up above him just as Artemis clenched her hand around the arrow fitted to her bow.

"Acrobatics won't get you out of this"

But the thief had taken something out of his pocket. Something that looked very much like…

Swift's eyes widened as she and the team were forced to jump away from the sudden burst of fire that the thief had breathed at them with the torch. She landed on a box far away from her teammates and crouched low ready to attack but then she heard Red Arrow call her name.

"Swift! Those crates are full of live ammo! MOVE!"

Swift looked down and saw to her horror the white painted letters of the two words flickering in the light of the dancing flames that were eating up the wooden crate greedily.

She flew upwards and away, speeding with desperation for the large metal crate that the rest of her friends were currently taking cover. Red Arrow was at the doorway with Superboy holding it open as Miss Martian was dragged inside by Artemis and Robin.

"Give me your hand!" Red yelled as she came within hearing.

Wildly Swift reached out but she was still too far away. There was a loud boom behind her and she turned her head to see one of the crates of live ammo explode.

She kept pushing herself against the wind but she was still too far away.

"GET BACK!" She called throwing her arms forwards again and releasing the ice blue wind ribbons at the crate.

"SWIFT WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? SWIFT NO!" Red Arrow's yells were cut off as a wall of ice blasted in the front of the crate sealing it shut.

**_BOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!_ **

Swift dropped to the ground and held herself tight together in a ball, expecting at any moment for her to be thrown by the shockwave and her skin to be burnt to a crisp.

But she felt…nothing…

There was the distant crash of something like glass breaking and she looked up just in time to see something transparent and a crystal like, melt away.

She crawled forwards through the hole and turned over onto her back to gaze up in wonder.

In the spot where she'd just been huddled on the ground was a large jagged piece of cold sharp ice stretching high up into the smoky air and glimmering an odd golden colour as the flames around her flickered and crackled.

There was a crashing sound as some beams fell to the floor from the ceiling. She tried scrambling to her feet but her body was feeling as heavy as lead and everything in her brain was spinning like she'd just gotten off a roller coaster.

She gasped and panted for breath on the ground before a pair of strong hands looped around her shoulders from behind and pulled her up into a standing position. She gingerly pulled her arm around her saviour's neck and felt the fletching of arrows graze her gloved hand.

"Roy"

"Don't worry Chris I gotcha! Just hold on"

Swift held on tight as the archer pulled her up into his arms bridal style and carried her away from her mini ice fortress to straggle along to the others.

But Swift caught sight of Superboy as he was beginning to dart away.

"That guy's dead meat!"

"Superboy!" Robin called as he held onto a weak and weary Miss Martian. "You need to get her out"

"He's getting away" the super clone growled.

"And that matters more than Miss M? The fire's killing her!"

Superboy paused for a moment and shook his head.

"Right…right." He took his Martian girlfriend from the boy wonder's hold and dashed quickly out.

"Artemis…Arrow…find Swift, find the thief argh!" Robin fell onto his knees.

"Because he matters more than you?" Artemis dashed forwards and pulled her friend to his feet. He saw his partner safe and sound in Red's arms and sighed as the older guy nodded.

"You're still off your game pall. We're getting you both out too"

Christine didn't remember anything of what happened after they'd gotten out of the factory. She'd promptly fallen asleep in Roy's arms as he carried her back into the bio ship and had remained asleep until early that morning when Artemis had shaken her lightly from their train compartment.

"Hey, you ok?" the blonde smiled down at her friend, her touch on her shoulder surprisingly gentle.

"Yeah…still a bit bummed out but I'll manage" Christine grunted sitting up and noticing for the first time that she was already in her Danielle Danger costume again.

"M'gann and I changed you while you were sleeping" Artemis took a step back to let her swing her legs over the side of the small bed.

"Thanks" she yawned stretching and then clutched her stomach which had just grumbled loudly.

"Ugh! Oh man I really need food"

"We need to meet the others in the big top first. Then we'll go get food"

"Ok"

After a few moments of washing up and getting her hair ready in its plaited bun, Christine followed Artemis over to the big top, where M'gann and the boys were currently milling around trying to gather news or intel about the other performers whereabouts last night.

As soon as Dick saw his partner up and about he immediately ran up to her and hug her.

"Good morning" he whispered into her ear.

"Good morning to you too" she pulled away to look him up and down "you're looking better"

"Yeah…the fever went down a couple of hours ago and I feel great" his grin faltered for a moment as he looked down on her "You are one of the dumbest and luckiest people I've ever known" he bumped his forehead against hers.

"Oww Di-Dan" she whined rubbing up at the now red spot above her white and red costume mask.

Roy rolled his eyes at the pair. Sometimes it irritated him just how warm and fuzzy the two got.

He glowered away trying to ignore the half whispered conversation and caught sight of a familiar head of grey hair. He caught Artemis, M'gann and Conner's eyes and they all nodded.

_Not trying to interrupt you two or anything but you might want to keep the PDA low key! Faraday's back._

Both birds split away from each other with a jump as they were both treated to a mental elbow to the ribs. They turned and saw Faraday and Haly both hissing at each other in the shadows of the tent.

"Another weapons plant is hit, and once again the circus is in town. I don't believe in coincidences" the Interpol officer frowned as Haly's face turned red with anger.

"I don't care what you  _believe._  My people are not responsible. I did a bed check last night, every single member of my troupe was asleep in their bunks"

_Well we sure weren't_

M'gann thought grimly over the link as they watched the two adults continue to argue.

_And if he's lying about us?_

Artemis agreed.

_He could've checked our beds after we came back too, so maybe he didn't actually lie._

Christine suggested quickly noticing the dejected look on Dick's face. However nothing more was said as they all went back into the train and to their compartment.

As soon as they were securely inside Christine immediately hovered up to the luggage compartment and took out from her pack a jumbo sized protein bar.

"Hey could you fetch me my glove too babe?"

"Sure" Christine shut her case and moved onto Dick's, quickly tossing him his black glove with the holo computer before gently floating down to an empty seat to sit cross legged.

_So two thieves' right? The fire breather and one of the Acrobats_

Artemis suggested as Dick pulled up a holo screen.

_Maybe not just two. Here's the Madrid footage…and now Paris_

Christine narrowed her eyes at the footage as she munched on her food bar. Each one had footage of a circus act that she had most definitely seen under the big top but there was something odd about it. For one thing both the figures in the footage and the thief they'd found last night all had the same kind of build.

_So the strong man and the clown too_

Roy folded his arms.

_If the entire circus is involved, Haly himself may be the mastermind-_

_You don't know that!_

Dick quickly cut across him, hurt and panic both flaring up through the mental link.

_I-It would explain his lies_

M'gann looked at Robin with confusion.

"I told you to keep an open mind!"

Robin cried out loud and sprang to his feet.

"Rob wait they didn't mean it like-" Christine called but he was already through the door and running down the length of the hallway.

"Argh! Great" she huffed walking over to the door. But instead of closing it she stepped outside. "You guys keep talking, I'll go find him"

She shut the door quickly before any of them could open their mouths.

"Of all the times you had to run off wonder boy" she rolled her eyes as she turned a corner and promptly ran into someone.

"oof!"

She stumbled backwards just as someone grabbed her arm.

"You ok Danielle?" Jack Haly smiled down at her and pulled her up to her feet.

"Yeah, thanks" Christine gulped flushing slightly from both embarrassment and nerves.

She hadn't been in such close proximity with the older man since that rainy day at the funeral of…

"Sorry 'bout that. I didn't look where I was going" she jumped away from him and scratched the back of her head laughing nervously.

"It's alright. This happens a lot since this corridor is so narrow" the old man smiled kindly down at her.

"Yeah I guess it is." She nodded "Umm…Mr Haly you haven't seen Dan around here have you?"

"Dan? No I can't say I have" Haly shook his head "Why did something happen?"

"Uh…no not really, the family and I are about to discuss our act again but he's run off somewhere to explore…again" she added a roll of the eyes that made Haly chuckle.

"Well you know what they say. Boys will be boys"

"Yeah…especially this one" she giggled lightly before he gave a heavy sigh.

"Uh…is there something wrong Mr Haly?"

"Nothing, nothing…it's just that you reminded me of someone I once knew"

"Oh yeah? Who?" Christine blinked up at him in confusion as he looked down on her thoughtfully.

"Just a boy. He was just around your age or so and he'd run away from home…he was a very good acrobat himself if I remember correctly and had a very good knack for languages too…now what was his name again? Oh yes that's right! Junior! Stanley Stuart Hallows Junior"

If ever there was a point Christine had ever thought she'd die of a heart attack it would have been then. Haly didn't seem to notice. He was too busy reminiscing about the past to notice her pale stricken expression.

Her hand instinctively went up to her chest where the metal dog tag was hidden in the bosom of her costume.

"I'm Sorry to cut you off Mr Haly but I've gotta find Dan quick."

"Ok! See you at the tent" the older man called after her. As she bolted out into the snow his expression wavered for a moment. "She really does look like you Junior" he muttered shaking his head fondly

* * *

"I left you behind because you know my backstory, I didn't want my best pal questioning my objectivity"

" _Dude that's what a best pal's for_ "

"…Listen …I just…I just need some time to think ok"

" _Du_ -" bzzzt!

"Sorry Wally" Dick sighed under his breath as he pulled his hand back from the com in his ear.

He looked up at the posters next to him on the side of the train but didn't really see them. The vision from many times before was playing over in his head…again…

_They were lying so still. Their bodies were twisted, limbs sticking out at horribly unnatural angles, interlocking with his aunt's, uncle's and cousin's like a grotesque puzzle, all set within a blood red board._

_"Mama…Tati…" he breathed._

_Then everything was a blur._

_Police sirens and cops all around, yellow tape around the ring. One moment he was being prodded and poked by paramedics, next he was speaking to a man who called himself Commissioner Gordon. Then there was a blanket around his shoulders and he had no idea where it had come from and then he was running. Running away from the social services person that had come to pick him up to take him to juvenile hall._

_The circus passed in a haze of colours and lights but all that Dick could see in front of his eyes was a massive black pit, threatening to engulf him whole._

_Where could he go? How far could he run? Where would he run to? How could he escape this nightmare?_

_He spotted a small dock. There! That was his escape! He'd just run onto it when-_

"Hey!"

Dick's eyes snapped open as someone put their hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Christine looking up at him worriedly.

"You ok? I was calling you for five whole minutes"

Despite it he couldn't help but smile back as a sense of calm washed over him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"Dick…what's wrong?" her voice was really soft despite the whipping wind and the lack of other people around them.

"Sorry" he muttered resting his forehead against hers. "Got lost in thought"

"You were thinking about that day again weren't you?" she murmured glancing at the colourful Flying Grayson's poster they were standing in front of. She'd seen it many times before. Dick had his own smaller print of it hanging up in his room at the manor, but this one was a lot bigger and was a little more faded with age.

Dick nodded still just holding her there with him.

"I know it's been five years…but I still sometimes…hmm" he shut his eyes tight trying to dispel the bloody images from his mind.

"I know" Christine's voice shook slightly as her grip on his black jacket tightened. "I know…"

She leant up and kissed the bridge of his nose as he choked back a sniff and felt her own eyes well up. She couldn't bear hearing him struggle like this, it always made her feel like crying too. But she couldn't, not now when he needed her support.

"I-I'm sure whatever's going on Jack's innocent" she mumbled through trembling lips.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah…whatever is going on it's obviously scaring him too…"

"Did you speak to him?"

"Yeah…just bumped into him now as I was looking for you…" She couldn't help but falter as the memory of the corridor wafted over her mind.

Dick saw her bite her lip.

"What did he say?"

"Just…that I reminded him of…my…father…"

Dick's eyes widened in shock. "What? Jack knew your dad?"

"Yeah…apparently he ran away to join the circus when he was…our age" she shut her eyes tight and gulped to swallow her sob "I…It's weird y'know…Jack Haly…Kent Nelson…people who are virtually strangers to me … all seem to know him really well. But I was his daughter and…he never told me anything…it's just unfair"

Dick's grip around her waist tightened as she tried pulling herself back together.

"Sorry…I'm being selfish" she sniffed "this is a mission to save one of your friends and I'm piling on my problems onto you"

"Hey it's ok" he smiled "Besides we're partners aren't we? This is what we do. We trust and have each other's backs no matter what"

Christine nodded the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. "Yeah…no matter what"

They pulled away from each other still smiling as they linked hands as they walked down the length of the train, not noticing the pair of glinting amber eyes watching them from the shadows of a compartment window.

* * *

"Well  _you_  look better" Artemis smirked as Christine and Dick both entered their compartment hand in hand, their faces slightly flushed, their costumes a little ruffled and hair slightly askew.

"I feel better…" Dick admitted scratching the back of his head.

That night's show had ended three hours ago and all of them were now on the train. Christine and Dick however had decided to skulk off for some private time, hence their slightly disheveled appearance. They both blushed a little bit, Christine trying to push back the memory of her partner's rather frisky mouth against hers as she and him looked down on poor M'gann who was lying on the seat in a blanket looking like hell.

"I sorry M-Dawn" he apologized "I hope you didn't catch it from me?"

"Argh I feel so silly" M'gann groaned wearily "Who knew a Martian could be vulnerable to a human virus?"

"Uh…maybe H.G. Wells?" Christine shrugged trying to lighten the mood. M'gann got the reference and chuckled but winced soon after. She must've gotten a headache too. Christine went over and put a hand to her forehead.

"Yep thought as much…just the same kind of fever wonder boy had. So when did you start feeling sick?"

"Just after boarding the train. It came on suddenly" M'gann frowned a little as she thought it over.

"Same with me the other night" Dick nodded "I remember Ray rubbing my head for good luck right before we went on"

"Ray? That roustabout?" Conner growled angrily "He touched her before we boarded. That guy must be a walking petri dish"

"Yeah…maybe" Dick's face seemed to dawn with comprehension and he quickly ran out the door.

Christine strained her ears and heard his and Jack's voices waft through the door.

"So Jack how long has Ray worked for you?"

"I picked him up at the start of the European tour, poor lad's down with the same flu as the rest of them"

"Then we'll check on him" Artemis suggested as she, Roy and Conner all poked their heads through the door. "Least we can do"

"If you insist" Jack said cheerfully.

Christine looked down at M'gann who was trying to sit up.

she rolled her eyes but nonetheless helped her teammate to her feet and out the door

"You should stay in bed" Dick quirked an eyebrow up at M'gann who gave him a weak smile.

"As a friend of mine once said, I'll manage"

"Seriously you guys are all so stubborn" Christine huffed under her breath as she and Dick brought up the rear of their group as they made their way down the length of the train.

They came down a couple of carriages before they reached ray's compartment, which turned out to be also a storage space where lots of the circuses props and rigging was packed away.

"Guess he wasn't that sick" Conner muttered as they came across an empty bed.

"Hey take a look at this" Christine crouched by the side of a large crate labelled Elephant food.

"Does this circus have an elephant I don't know about?" Roy tilted his head in confusion as Christine took a crowbar from the wall and started to lever up the top of the crate.

"Not on foreign tours" Dick shook his head before.

_CRACK!_

Christine had stomped her foot down on her end of the crowbar, peeling the wood away from the nails that held it firmly in place before swinging open with a faint thump against the wall behind.

"Empty" she muttered darkly.

"Wait" Roy quickly grabbed the lid before it could swing down again and pushed it behind the box before reaching down inside. He swiped the bottom of the wood with his finger and pulled it up for them to see in the dim light.

He gave it a tiny flick with his tongue before spitting back into the box. "Ash"

"Uh…Guys!" Artemis called and they all turned to see her pull out from beneath the mattress on the bed a rubber mask with blonde hair. "I found Ray"

"Split up search the whole train!" Dick ordered.

They all scattered at once, with Artemis, M'gann and the boys all taking to the corridor. Christine on the other hand found a window and quickly jumped out into the cold night air. She flew over the train keeping watch over the roof tops of each of the carriages until she heard Dick's voice in her ear.

" _Danielle, Dane, Dean, Diane. Come in! We're chasing someone who's stolen Dawn's act. Her whole shtick if you catch my drift_ "

"Caught it loud and clear" Christine landed onto the roof the dining cars and did a sweep with her eyes. Completely deserted. She heard a couple of thumps and crashes below her.

" _I got him_ " Superboy called through the com " _But he's onto me…exiting the dining car now…_ " Christine's eyes widened as she wheeled back around to see a large figure in the clowns costume clamber up to join her on the roof.

" _he's gone topside!_ "

"Yeah tell me something I don't know" Christine bent her knees and put up her hands as the made up face's eyes widened before splitting in an insane grin.

"Come on little girly, show me whatcha got" came a deep sneer.

Christine tensed and was about to grab a wind ribbon when something shoved into her pushing her onto the roof behind. She caught onto the wind ribbons and gripped them tight as she felt the air around her thicken so that her body slowed down with drag.

She skidded to a stop on her feet and looked up. The clown was facing Conner who seemed to be opposite him crouching low on the roof.

"That won't work on me clown" the super clone growled.

Christine ran forwards and nimbly jumped over the divide between carriages just as Dick came clambering up the ladder.

"That's no clown. It's the Parasite!" Dick pointed to the clown.

"What you mean the guy who once stole Superman's powers?" Christine's eyes widened as the said villain turned round to leer at them.

"Oh, as if you kids are who you claim to be, Please" the man grunted and his face suddenly mutated into something purple and hideous.

Christine gripped her hands tight in fists but Dick grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Stay out of his reach! There's no flu going around. The weakness comes when he makes physical contact as he feeds off the powers and abilities of others"

Parasite grinned eyeing the way both birds stood close together.

"I have been a bit of a glutton today. Chowed down on the skills of nearly every loser on this troupe. But  _oh my._ " He licked his lips as M'gann, Artemis and Roy came up from the ladder to the roof.

"The piece de resistance was Dawn Danger. Or whatever her real name is. Thought I'd munch on either hers or your little girlfriend's trapeze skills. But imagine my surprise when she tasted like Martian Manhunter instead. Mhmmm. She made a lovely appetizer but guess who I want for my entrée?"

Before any of them could react Conner was pulled forwards by Parasites new telekinetic powers and grabbed in the super villain's hands.

"Mmnnn! Now that's the full-bodied Kryptonian flavor I  _love_!" there was a grunt as Conner went limp in his hold.

"Everyone stay whelmed!" Dick ordered sharply noticing the now scathing look on his partner's face "Subdue but keep your distance"

There was the smell of burning metal as Parasite turned his eyes onto Artemis and Roy's bows which incinerated in their very hands.

"Y'know I almost never say this…but I'm satiated"

He dropped Conner to the ground and grinned. "Hate to eat and run"

He took off, a large metal box levitating beside him. Dick jumped onto it but was hit back.

"You mother fu-AHH!"

"Sorry no hitchhikers!" Parasite grinned as both Boy and girl wonder rolled off the side of the train. Dick was luckily grabbed by M'gann, but Christine had scraped some of the tree tops before she had gained enough consciousness to fly herself back up.

"Owww…" She grunted rubbing at the now itching scratches of her arms but then she gasped as Dick and M'gann were struggling to hold onto the side of the train. She ran over to help them up along with Roy and Artemis and within seconds they were all safely back on the roof.

There was a grunt behind them.

"Conner!" M'gann suddenly exclaimed as Conner tried to struggle to his feet.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…fine" he shrugged her off rubbing his forehead.

"You're drained" Dick cried out with wild shock "Parasite took more power than you have. Heat vision?"

"I have the genetic potential for it! Must've been enough for him" Conner shrugged.

"Argh!" Dick growled with frustration.

"Let's get back to the compartment, suit up and, rethink our strategy" Christine said putting a hand on his shoulder. They all nodded in agreement and went back inside.

Once back in their compartment they got dressed back in their normal uniforms.

Swift felt relieved to be wearing her suit again and to have her utility belt and garters back on. She never did feel that comfortable without them.

"Well it wasn't a complete debacle" Robin grinned as he showed everyone a tiny blue USB in his hand "I picked Parasite's pocket, got this flash drive"

"Nice" Swift smirked as he plugged it into the holo computer in his glove. The software installed was quickly hacked into and soon the boy wonder was reading the data on the screen.

"Look's like Parasite's working for Intergang. Everything he's stolen looks like pieces of something. They're putting together a weapon that makes… Black holes?!"

"Oh come on!" Red Arrow scoffed loudly "To build that you'd need a particle accelerator"

"Like the large Boson Collider in Geneva?" Swift narrowed her eyes in annoyance as Red Arrow's eyes widened

"The circus's next stop…but now that Parasite can fly he's got a big head start on us"

"Sorry" Miss Martian apologized, still looking kind of glum. Her powers were still rather drained from Parasite's feeding but even so she was suited up to fight.

"It's not your fault M'gann, before we knew his game Parasite could've taken any one of our powers at any given time" Swift nodded consolingly.

"That's true" Robin stood up "but this thing could wipe out entire cities. We need to hurry"

"You and I need to hurry" Red Arrow corrected him grabbing a spare bow from his luggage "Without powers the others would hold us back"

"Uh  _excuse_   _me_? What am I chopped liver? I've still  _got_  my powers completely in tact!" Swift scowled as she put her hands on her hips.

"Which is why you of all people should remain behind" Red frowned down at her "If Parasite got hold of your invisibility and ice powers, who knows what hell he could unleash"

"Well it certainly can't be worse than any hell I'll give the two of you if you leave me behind" she snapped. There was a small crackle beneath their feet as white icy fractals spread out from beneath her boots.

"I'm with Swift. Besides you're not the only one with a back up bow" Artemis jumped to her feet and grabbed her crossbow from beside her just as-

BANG!

"And powers are back" Conner growled as he took his hand out of the small crater in the wall.

"How did you-" Miss Martian began but he cut across her.

"I guess Kryptonian's recover faster than humans and martians"

Miss Martian grinned at this and stood up "Don't even think about leaving me behind"

Swift smirked as Red Arrow and Robin's shoulders both fell with exasperation.

* * *

**Geneva, December 24 2010, 00:37 CET**

They ran up the stairs in front of a large building and came across the bodies many security guards scattered over the ground.

Robin rand up to one of them and checked his pulse. But he needn't have worried, because the man stirred slightly before falling back unconscious.

"Trail of destruction, this way" He pointed in the direction of the door. Swift moved silently amongst the others her feet barely making a sound against the hard floor until suddenly there was a sharp pain in her head.

"Oww…" she grunted and fell behind, clutching at her head.

"Hey what happened?" Artemis hissed but Swift could not see or hear her

_She was back in the ancient corridor, once again in front of the mural of the monster army. She touched at the painted stone timidly with one finger._

"Hey Swift!"

_Now she was outside the entrance to the building with the Boson Collider._

"Swift come on!" Artemis shook her shoulders but her expression had gone strangely blank.

_"You must hurry child!"_

"Arghhh! You can't black out now!"

_A dark hole had ripped open the sky above -_

"Oh god! I really don't wanna do this -"

_-and was beginning to suck the very air out of the-_

Kathwack!

Swift blinked. Everything was dark around her, except for the sight of Artemis's glaring face.

"Wha…What happened?" she breathed putting a hand to her now stinging cheek.

"You blacked out for a moment, now come on! We found Parasite!" Artemis rolled her eyes and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Parasite…right" Swift shook her head to clear it as she was pushed over to where the others were crouched around Robin who was keeping watch on the optical feed.

"We need to take him down" Robin narrowed his eyes. "Or at least lure him away so we can safely disengage the-"

"NGHHAAA!" Superboy suddenly burst forth with such a loud yell that Swift jumped backwards in surprise.

"Superboy no!"

But too late he'd already ripped through a door way and charged at Parasite who grinned.

"Seconds? No I couldn't"

"Oh shit this is not good. If he gets a double dosing of Superboy's strength-" but then she cried out as another shot of pain went through her skull.

"Swift!" Robin grabbed her as she fell to the floor. Oh god this headache was just as bad as when she'd been at Yellowstone.

"Something's happening…something big…I think he's activated the collider" she shuddered as suddenly the pain shot through the rest of her body.

"Man…talk about feeling weak" she rolled her eyes with annoyance.

"…weak… Agh! Hello Megan! That's it!" Miss Martian's face lit up like a Christmas tree "Swift you're a genius!"

"I am?" the girl wonder quirked a brow in confusion.

"Yes! If Parasite can take our strengths what's stopping him from taking our weaknesses too?"

"Yeah but unfortunately we don't have a bar of Kryptonite around now do we?" Red Arrow rolled his eyes as they heard the thumps as Superboy was thrown around the adjacent room.

"Yeah but he didn't just get Superboy's powers did he?" Miss Martian raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! OH!?" Artemis's eyes widened "That's right he got yours too. So that means…We could light a fire!"

"Wow you were way too excited over that…what were you a serial Pyromaniac in your past life or something?" Swift snorted but then suddenly choked and a tendril of blood dribbled from her mouth

Robin was about to say something, his face stricken pale when Parasite's voice called mockingly out to them

"C'mon out Dangers. Only a couple of minutes before this baby's done warming up and eats Geneva"

"Well what do you think?" Miss Martian gulped looking at the broken door.

"Big risk to take on a theory, especially if we've got one teammate down" he looked at Swift who was wiping at her mouth

"I'll be fine…" she coughed, but another bubble of blood burst in her mouth as she hacked. "The pain's still there but it's only broken a couple of ribs this time. And that I can live with"

She stood up grinning but Robin was still looking grave.

"Fine…Do it…go…but  _you_ " he pointed at his partner "stay with Roy. Long distance fighting only" He looked up at Red Arrow and the two exchanged a silent nod.

The older Archer grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away silently up the stairs towards the small balcony that over looked the room.

"You clear a path. I'll shoot" Red muttered prepping a trick arrow to his bow.

"Yeah…Just like old times" Swift wheezed as she was settled down in a sitting position. She blinked hard and summoned the wind ribbons again. "I've got a gap. Sixty five degrees down. Wait for my count."

There was a few thumps from below as Miss Martian floored Parasite with a well-timed sweeping kick from low.

"Go!" Swift ordered. There was a loud twang as Red Arrow delivered the shot, perfectly in line with the gap she'd made for it.

As soon as it made contact with its target the arrowhead burst and a high density dark red polyurethane foam began to cover and harden up around him.

"Foam!" Parasite growled enraged. "You think foam can hold me?!"

Suddenly Red Arrow grunted as he was pulled up by an invisible force into the air, his bow dropping from his hands to the floor below.

"Or stop me from crushing you with a thought?"

"Get your filthy paws off of him!" Swift peeked out from her hiding spot and pushed her hand forwards. A bright ball of ice cold frost burst from her palm and. Parasite merely laughed as his eyes glowed red and two strands of heat vision pierced through the icy blast making it melt and splash to the floor as mere water.

"HAHA! That was cute girly…real cute, but combined Martian and Kryptonian powers here!" Swift squeaked as she hit the deck to avoid the rest of the heat rays that pierced through the wall.

"But do any of those powers free you before I sabotage your death thingy?" Robin's voice said calmly.

_Death Thingy? Robin seriously that is lame even by your standards_

Despite her situation Swift couldn't help but roll her eyes as Parasite broke free of the foam around him.

"Maybe not…but this does" he fired another blast of heat vision that Robin barely managed to dodge in time. There was another sharp twang in the air as Artemis leapt from the shadows and fired from her crossbow.

She too had to dodge Parasite's heat vision before she shot again, this time using a trick arrow which released a gaseous substance right in front of him.

Swift gritted her teeth and forced down the pain as she held both her palms forwards and directed the wind so that it pushed the gas into the line of heat from his eyes.

**_BOOM!_ **

The gas blew up around Parasite sending a large shockwave of fire and metal around. But Swift pulled up her hands just in time and summoned quickly a wall of ice to stand in front of her. The heat of the explosion was such that half of its thickness quickly melted away half drenching her in the process.

There was a loud thud as Roy fell to the ground close to a stirring Artemis, the telekinetic hold gone from his body.

"So clever"

Swift gasped as she saw Parasite get up from his knees to stand in the midst of a ring of fire.

"Tricked me into igniting flammable gas, but you forgot. Doofus's double doses of…invulnerability…Fire…can't…touch me" he grunted his body suddenly beginning to shudder with strange fatigue.

"Unless you want to make a meal of my powers, then get my weaknesses as a  _side_   _dish_!" If Swift could ever remember a time she'd seen M'gann looking so pissed off she could not do so right now.

"No…No-ahgh!"

The Martian smirked smugly as she watched Parasite fall to the ground with fatigue. "Aww poor Baby…something you _ate_?"

Swift gave a breathless laugh as she watched the Boson Collider power down as Robin took to its controls.

"We'll take it from here" came a familiar voice. Swift looked down through blurred eyes and saw the silver topped head of Faraday as he led his Interpol men towards the fire.

"Took you guys long enough" She sighed in relief as the pain that wracked her body suddenly drained out of her, leaving her to feel all weak and wobbly.

She watched through blurring eyes as the guys from Interpol extinguished the fire and put an inhibitor collar on Parasite's neck.

"Thank's for the tip by the way" Faraday smiled at Robin "It always helps to prep the inhibitor collar in advance."

"Glad to be of service" Robin smiled weakly before calling back up to the railing.

"Hey Swift! How you doing up there?"

"I'm Fine…Rob…just…Fine…agh" she winced as her sides tinged with pain "Uh…I could use some help getting down though"

Now Robin really did smile as he quickly ran up the stairs towards her.

"How you feeling now?" He asked quietly as he picked her up bridal style, her legs being too wobbly to hold her up.

"A hell of a lot better…now that the collider's off" she grunted rubbing at her forehead before sighing.

"I really need a bath"

Robin cackled softly under his breath. Trust her to say something like that whilst injured. He carried her over to where Artemis was holding out a hand to help up Red Arrow who took it with a smile.

"Wow. He dares to touch the hand of a suspected traitor" the blonde smirked.

"Mind open…I guess I never really saw you three in the thick of it before." Red smiled widely. "Superboy's a hot head, but I know I'm not one to talk. You could each have betrayed us here, but you didn't. I'm sorry I doubted any of you. There is no mole"

Swift and Robin both smiled at each other delightedly.

Well thank god that argument was over.

* * *

**Wayne Manor, December 25 2010, 10:18 EDT**

"Come on Christine! Let's go open the presents!"

Christine shook her head fondly as Dick gently dragged her downstairs to the large lounge where the Christmas tree was brightly lit and surrounded by stacks of presents. They'd both just gotten out of bed and had barely brushed their teeth when Alfred had called them through their coms to come down stairs for the presents.

_Speaking of which…_

"Dick hold on a sec" Christine smiled stopping and digging in her heels so that Dick stumbled backwards a little.

"What?" He whined childishly.

"Check your left pocket" Christine waggled her eyebrows.

"What's in my pocket?"

"My present"

Dick frowned skeptically at her before digging his hand in the pocket of his sweatpants. After a moment or so he pulled out a small plastic sprig of mistletoe.

Before he could open his mouth to laugh Christine grabbed the collar of his T-shirt and pulled his lips down to hers.

Dick gasped in surprise allowing her to open up the kiss further. His eyes rolled back into his head as he felt her hot slick tongue slide over his in a firm but soothing manner like a massage but ten times better.

"Merry Christmas Dick" she breathed as she pulled away.

Dick just stood there wide eyed and grinning like a madman. She'd never kissed him like  _that_  before!

Christine giggled and grabbed him by the hand to drag him back down stairs.

* * *

A dark tall figure pulled his hooded head away from around the doorway of the lounge and backed back into the shadows.

Amber eyes flashed with a golden hot fire before clenching tightly shut. The breathing behind the black metallic mask became more rapid.

How dare he? How dare he even breathe the same air as her? What had he done to deserve the kiss she'd given him? Or even that smile?

_That little Circus Bastard!_

There was a brief crackling as the black gloved hands clenched into fists. A bright line of red hot flame seared over the skin and soon the smell of material burning was entering his nose.

He took a deep shuddering breath and the fire around his hand was extinguished, leaving the skin blemish free but still lightly smoking.

No there was still time left, still that plan to go ahead. It was only a matter of days. She would be his in a matter of days.

 _They'd_  assured him of that.

* * *

Bruce and Alfred were already there waiting for them in the lounge, both of them still in their pajama's, which was odd seeing as the old butler usually preferred to wear his suit by this time in the morning.

But then again, Christmas was Christmas…even in the Batman's household!

"So which ones are from the Santa in the red suit and which ones are from the Santa in the bat suit?" Christine grinned as she knelt down in front of the roaring fire.

"I'm afraid you'll have to guess this time Miss Christine. You're father has decided to be very sneaky about this year's presents" Alfred said as he poured a cup of coffee for Bruce before pouring one for himself.

"Hey Dick you ready to open your presents? Dick?" Bruce waved a hand in front of his ward's dazed face.

"Oh don't worry dad…he's just a bit whelmed from…  _my_  present"

Christine's giggles turned into loud laughs as the Dark Knight and his butler both choked and hacked on their coffee, completely red faced.

Bruce could not believe he'd just heard his little girl say that. He also couldn't believe that barely twenty four days ago he'd also heard her first moans of pleasure from outside that godforsaken closet door downstairs. He couldn't even walk by it without the memory of hearing that sound flashing over his mind.

Just how fast had her childhood just passed before his eyes?

Something about this melancholy seemed to flash across his face because Christine and Dick were both looking worriedly at him.

"Sorry Dad…did I say something wrong?" Christine bit her lip nervously exchanging a glance with her partner.

"No…no you didn't" he put his coffee mug down on the table beside him before reaching down to grab a small parcel from the floor beside him.

Well since she wasn't a child anymore…she was ready to have this…

"Here…this is yours…" he handed it over to her and she took it gingerly.

It was a book, she could tell that easily, what with the rectangular shape and feel through the brown paper wrapping.

_Odd…_

She looked over the rest of the presents and sure enough all the presents were wrapped in colorful Christmas themed paper. She turned her attention back to the package in her hand and opened it.

She gasped and her hands trembled as brown leather bound journal became revealed to her. She knew that shade of brown so well. It was deep and chocolaty with a slightly faded spine and it had an embossed print on the front depicting a beautiful wood nymph emerging from a tree.

But that wasn't what was making her eyes water with tears. It was the fluid cursive script on white folded piece of paper that was on top of the journal.

_Christine_

"This…" she looked up at Bruce who nodded his face softening.

"Dick told me about what Red Queen told you on Thanksgiving. I thought you should take it from me instead of letting her get under your skin like that…That being said…I don't know what's inside"

"What? But surely you've-"

"I saw no reason to open it. I knew your father as well as if he were my own brother. I know he would never leave something that would harm anyone behind, let alone you."

She nodded and opened the paper.

_"D-Dearest Christine…"_

She swallowed her trembling voice and continued

_"If you are reading this now it means, that my time on this earth has come to an end and that you're finally ready to know the truth._

_By now you will have noticed the certain…changes that have come over you. Some will be wondrous, many will be mysterious but if you keep true to yourself and to your heart I assure you that they will all lead you to happiness._

_The road will be tough and there will be many moments where it'll seem dark and frightening. This journal will be your torch that will light your way towards your destiny and the world's salvation._

_That is all I can say here now, the rest is inside._

_I never meant to leave you in such a cruel manner. It was the only way to ensure your safety in the years to come and you were in no way responsible for it._

_As your parent it is my pride to have been able to give my life up to keep you safe. You were and always have been the light of my life and if I ever had one regret it was not being there to see the beautiful woman you've become._

_With love forever and always,_

_Your Father,_

_Stanley Stuart Hallows Jnr."_

"Oh…papa…"

Christine was half smiling half sobbing as Dick gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh hold on a moment there's a P.S." he pointed out quickly before snorting. "Ha! Nice one!"

"What?" Christine looked down to the very bottom of the letter where sure enough the post script were scribbled hastily down as if it was added at last minute.

_P.S. If Bruce has not looked after you like he promised, I will personally come out of my grave and haunt him till he dies._

"Yes that's definitely your father talking" Bruce rolled his eyes before he was promptly bowled into.

"Thank you" Christine sniffed.

Bruce smiled and kissed the top of her head. Who was he kidding? She'd never stop being his little girl…not really.


	28. Episode 25: Usual Suspects

**Hall of Justice (Washington D.C.), December 30 2010, 09:16 EST**

" _The Justice League was formed for two reasons. First as an acknowledgement that no single individual, no matter how powerful, can stand alone. And second, to uphold the values of Truth, Liberty and Justice. That last one's even in the name._ "

A lot of the press tittered in amusement as Superman gave them a sheepish but charismatic smile before gesturing to his left where five heroes, Doctor Fate, Plastic Man, Icon, Atom and last but not least a familiar auburn haired archer with a red and black suit with black domino mask, stood in a line waiting patiently.

" _These five heroes have sworn to uphold those values_ "

" _You are watching live coverage of the Justice League's induction of its five newest members. Looks like the entire league has shown up to welcome the new blood. Everyone from Batman to Captain Marvel_ " Cat Grant hissed with excitement on the large screen in the Hall of Justice's Library, where all the Team was currently standing by and watching eagerly.

"I'm glad they didn't kick Billy out" Wally chomped into his apple as the cameraman panned across members of the league to rest on the waving form of Captain Marvel "And I love the fact that there's a ten year old on the League"

"There is?"

_Trust Wally to open his big mouth!_

Christine sighed as the speaker, Raquel Ervin aka Rocket the protégé of Icon, an older teenage girl with, dark skin and short spiky black hair, stepped forwards with her hands on her hips.

"Way to keep a secret genius!" Dick elbowed his best friend with irritation.

"Hey she's on the team now right?! Pff…short arse! OWW! Swift! Your boyfriend's hitting me!" the speedster whined as Dick made to punch his shoulder.

"Just knock it off you two. Man! If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times. Kaldur you deal with them from now on" Christine groaned as she pulled Dick away from Wally, holding his hands so that he couldn't use them to hit.

"I would" Kaldur said softly so as not to interrupt the broadcast "but I'm afraid my methods wouldn't be nearly as effective as yours"

"So much for being friends" Christine glared at him and he smirked back with amusement

" _Superman is now handing out official League Membership cards starting with Dr Fate,-_ "

Zatanna looked downcast as Artemis put a hand on her shoulder consolingly.

"- _The Atom, Plastic Man and Icon_ "

"Y'know I was the one who convinced Icon to become a hero in the first place. I should be outside celebrating with him not cooped up in  _here_ " Raquel pouted sassily.

"Welcome to our world" Kaldur smiled back at her.

"Well I suppose there's an upside too" Raquel's suddenly smiled as she looked at the Atlantian boy up and down with appreciation.

Christine exchanged a brief glance with Dick who grinned knowingly wrapping a lazy arm around her shoulders as they watched Green Arrow take a membership card from Superman and walk over to Red Arrow who was last in line.

" _Finally, Green Arrow welcomes his former protégé, Speedy, now known as Red Arrow, to this roster of Heroes_ "

"WOOHOO!" Christine whooped punching the air.

"Way to go Roy!" Wally cheered along with her.

"At last he has his wish" Kaldur smiled

"The first of us to make it. No one's gonna call him a sidekick anymore" Dick looked down at Christine who was positively glowing with warmth and pride.

"Wait!" Raquel interrupted them with a frown "Since when has being a sidekick a bad thing? You sidekicks were my inspiration. Especially  _you_ "

She pointed at Christine who blushed a bright pink much to the other's amusement.

"M-Me?"

"Yeah! I was so stoked when you first came on the news with Batman. I mean you were the first female sidekick EVER in the world! It was awesome"

"Uh…thanks…I guess"

Christine smiled and scratched the back of her head nervously.

"So what happened to make you guys not like the whole sidekick thing?" Raquel raised her eyebrows.

"…well you see uh…six months ago- Kal, Wally, Rob and I were-"

But there were suddenly two separate beeping sounds.

"Sorry. Just one sec?"

Christine pulled out her cell phone just as Dick pulled up his holo computer. They both stepped away from each other to give themselves some space.

She frowned as she saw a text message warning with a blocked number attached and clicked on it. To her deepest revulsion, it was a continuation of her conversation from the just before her Nutcracker performance.

_Sorry for the late notice sweetheart, but there has been a change of plans for our little date. Due to circumstances beyond my control, we will have to meet today instead of tomorrow. Same time, same place. Don't be late._

She texted back quickly trying to keep her anger at bay.

_I won't be. Where are we going?_

She waited with bated breath, feeling her skin crawl unpleasantly as if spiders had scuttled beneath it and were using her bones as ladders to climb. She shuddered at the mental image as the phone buzzed again with her reply.

_Santa Prisca. Should be pretty nostalgic, especially for you._

She narrowed her eyes darkly and shut the phone with such a hard snap that several of her friends jumped.

"What happened to you?" Wally raised an eyebrow still munching on an apple.

"Nothing" Christine grunted grumpily as she shoved her phone back in the pocket of her light blue jeans.

Wally shrugged and turned to Dick who was also looking grimly at his holo computer

"What about you Rob? Anything new?"

"Cheshire's on the move again" he muttered.

There was a clatter as Artemis stood up wide eyed. Her chair had fallen to the floor.

* * *

**Smokey Mountains, December 30** **th** **2010, 10:48 EST**

"A-Are you sure it's her? I mean, are you positive" Artemis tried to gulp down her stutters but Swift was not buying it. She glanced at Robin in front of her who raised his eyebrows in return.

"See for yourself" he pulled up several holo screens on the bio ships main window. "This is security footage from the Ashville regional airport. "Facial recognition confirms that's Jade Nguyen. But…you've seen her without her mask. What do you think?"

Swift's eyes narrowed. She'd never seen Cheshire up close before but even so she could tell there was no doubt about the fact that she and Artemis were…

"It's Jade…Cheshire"

"Agreed" Aqualad looked at Artemis sternly. "But focus on what she carries. Is that the case you saw in New Orleans? The one that got away"

"Yes" Artemis's face turned downcast.

"Wait! Hold up what do you mean by got away?" Swift asked sharply.

"It's… a long story" Artemis looked down at her feet embarrassed. Swift caught a glimpse of just beyond the archer where, Kid Flash was glowering angrily.

Odd…what had happened?

"Ok I'm guessing from this mug shot that this  _Cheshire_  is the bad guy. But what's so important about that case?" Rocket folded her arms frowning.

"Remember the Injustice League?" Robin frowned as he pulled up a picture of the super villain group.

"And their giant evil plants? Uh Yeah!"

"The Team and the League put them in prison, but their allies still scheme" Aqualad's face hardened as he looked over each enemy "And whatever is in that containment case seems important to their plans"

"We had a chance to grab it in New Orleans but  _someone_ " Kid Flash gritted his teeth as he looked at Artemis "Screwed up"

_Great back to square one again!_

Swift puffed a strand of hair out of her eyes in exasperation before calling back to the helm.

"M'gann how far are we now?"

"We're approaching Cheshire's jet now"

But then she gasped…as did everyone else.

They'd flown over a large gorge, covered in snow with the large metal carnage of a plane in the centre.

"Looks like there were no survivors" Miss Martian muttered.

"Nonetheless we should still search the wreckage and salvage what we can" Aqualad turned to Swift who nodded.

Her eyes softened as Artemis shut her eyes tight and seemed to grit her teeth to hold back her words. If her suspicions were right then the poor archer was probably going through a lot more pain than she was letting on.

They hovered above the wreck and jumped down through the floor of the Bio ship on their lines.

There was a lot of snow on the plane's main hull so Swift used her powers to quickly remove it. Once she did everyone began looking through as much as they could find.

Eventually Robin found the black box and carried it outside to examine it.

"How come homeland security or the NTSB aren't all over this?" Kid Flash asked as he helped Swift carry a torn up seat out of the way to see the circuitry inside the plane wall.

"Cheshire's ID was a League alert. Authorities didn't pick it up and her jet didn't follow its flight plan" Robin replied as he set down the box in the snow.

"So it literally flew under the radar?" Swift walked over to check his work.

"Yeah. But the Watchtower auto-tracked the jet and recorded the crash"

"So why isn't the league here?" Rocket asked.

"Because our Boy and Girl Wonder's both have some pretty mighty hacking skills and arranged to get the alert first" Zatanna smirked at the two birds

Robin gave them all a wink whilst Swift shrugged in a half-hearted attempt at modesty.

"And because Cheshire and that case, represent our unfinished business" Aqualad added his tone still serious.

"There's just one thing that's still bothering me" Swift muttered as she watched Superboy throw a metal scrap of the wing out of the way.

"Where's the bodies?" he finished for her and she nodded.

"Here's one!" came an unfamiliar feminine drawl. They all looked up alarmed as the green clad, masked Cheshire smiled down at them. "And it is …stunning"

Swift felt the air around her nudge her side and stiffened. Someone else was here too. Someone from hers, Robin's and Batman's neck of the woods, she just knew it from the way the hairs on the back of her neck were prickling.

"I am Flora not fauna. I am foliage. Not trees."

She turned to look up at the slender green suited man, who was flanked by Kobra's minion mammoth and many henchmen in snow stealth gear and bearing the red glowing Apokolyptan weapons, just like the Bialyan soldiers had worn in Qurac.

"What am I?" as the green suited man clicked his fingers. At once a ring of metal pylons shot up from the earth on the cliff around them, crackling with a green energy as it encased them all in a glowing green barrier.

"Dammit" Swift narrowed her eyes as she saw most of the winds she'd used to clear the snow were now blocked to her outside the dome.

"Come on, you can get this. I am Shrubbery, not grass. What am I? I…" The Riddler sneered down on her and Robin sardonically

"Ambush" Robin gritted his teeth.

Swift blinked hard and gripped her hands in fists as Riddler spoke again.

"Didn't you think we'd guess you were on Cheshire's trail? We're tired of your interference kiddies. This is the endgame, ordered from above and executed by their master strategist moi!"

 _Miss Martian is everyone linked?_  Aqualad asked through the mental link

_Yes_

She replied.

_Then go_

They all smirked and split apart at once. She, Rocket and Miss Martian all took to the air at once circling around.

_Zee,_

Swift called across the link to the magician.

 _Yeah_?

_I could use some winds._

_On it_

"Ekahs siht ebolgwons!" Zatanna smirked as at once the wind whipped up around them, sending snow flying everywhere.

_Thanks_

Swift grinned as more blue strands materialised out of nothingness.

She grabbed them and began to twirl and swish with them in the air, almost like a dance as she weaved her way in past Miss Martian. She spotted a goon aiming his red energy blaster at Robin who was climbing up the cliff. Swift sharply jabbed her arm forwards in a straight finger strike and a slim blast of ice shot like a lightning bolt into the barrel of the weapon freezing it from the inside out.

 _Thanks Swift!_  Her partner grinned before flinging a birdarang in her direction. Swift didn't flinch as it past her ear and hit a leaping goon, before exploding in a cloud of knock out gas.

 _Damn! Nice shot_  he whooped grinning as he flipped over a goon and she aimed a wind ribbon behind her deftly without looking back.

_Thanks Robby, but we'll have to celebrate later. Rocket, I could use some cover up here._

_Sure!_

Rocket sounded pretty excited as she hovered around Swift blocking attacks sent her way as she hovered stock still in mid air eyes shut.

She could still see the ribbons glowing around her mind's eye, see them fluctuate as people moved in and out like shadows amongst the rainbow as it began to swirl around her. It got faster and faster and faster. Her eyes snapped open.

_Everyone get out of my way in ten seconds. This is gonna be rough!_

She called loudly as she raised her hands high into the air and brought the smaller snowy whirlwind that she'd summoned over her head. It was pulsating, growing in strength. Maybe into something that was a bit too strong for her. She could feel her reasonably trained muscles already straining beneath the pressure.

_KID!_

She called rolling her eyes as she saw Kid Flash still fighting a goon on the slope she was aiming at. He rolled his eyes back at her as he felt her irritation through the link

_Alright! Alright! GAH! What the-_

_JUST MOVE WALLY! I CAN'T HOLD THIS POWER ANYMORE!_

"Haragh!" she yelled as she shoved her hands forwards with a mighty push. Kid Flash barely made it off the slope in time as the whirlwind burst forth from her palm in a bright blue flash. There was a loud banging sound as a large flurry of icy snowballs pelted into the goons on wall of the gorge, like rounds from a massive machine gun.

"Holy f-ing Christ!"

Kid cried out in alarm as the goons all dropped down like flies.

But Swift didn't have time to tell him off for his bad mouth because something dark and large had just streaked past her. She turned round and felt her breath catch in her chest.

_SB you're…you're flying_

Robin gasped.

But the super clone didn't listen. Instead he threw Mammoth up so that he hit the dome before crashing down, right over Swift's trajectory.

She squeaked in fright as she Superboy's face twist in an animalistic snarl before shooting out red heat rays out from his eyes.

She dodged, but it was a  _very_  close shave. She winced as one of the scorching rays brushed past her cheek; grazing it slightly and sending tiny dark red beads of blood spattering a little over her face.

He took no heed and continued pushing his opponent till he was shoved into the rocky wall, where he proceeded to pummel the shit out of him.

She flew over and tried to grab Superboy from under the armpits in a lock.

"Conner wait-Conner stop it! He's had enough-ah!" one of his arms flailed out and hit her sending her flying back into the air. She forced herself to a stop and heard a loud crunching and groaning.

Looking up she saw to her horror, the cliff wall above Superboy and Mammoth begin to give way making a large shelf of rock began to shift forwards ominously.

She pushed her palms forward again. There was a crackling sort of sound as cold blue energy began to flow from her hands like water from a hose.

"Come on" She grunted focusing with all her might on her hands.

For a moment she thought she'd fail, but that only deemed to piss her off more. Swift didn't like failure. Her new found pride seemed to do the trick. Ice burst into existence along the crack lines in the organic structure and the rock began to slow down to a stop.

But the damage was done. The rock's slide had dislodging a lot of snow which was already almost at the bottom by the time she'd finished securing the top.

She saw a familiar green and blonde blur fall down several feet into the earth below and began to fly down to help but-

"Artemis"

Swift's jaw dropped as Cheshire dropped both her swords and dove straight for Artemis, bowling her out of the way of the mini avalanche.

Artemis seemed to look very confused as she and Cheshire sat up, the latter sighing in exasperation.

"Ok Fine we're sisters. I don't actually want you dead"

_Well that explains a lot_

Swift sighed with relief as she flew off, not noticing Artemis was staring up at her in alarm.

She flew over around the battle field, helping out where she could, though she usually ended up working combo, electric wind moves with Aqualad who had finally taken out his water bearers

_Yo Kal, I think Rob and Zee have got Riddler_

She replied calmly as she mowed down a couple of goons with her wind strikes.

_Yes they do. I can see them._

He nodded as he whipped down one last henchman. The rest were unconscious on the ground around them.

They both relaxed as they heard Zatanna's faint echoing voice as she removed her blizzard spell from the area.

_Aqualad! Swift! I got the case!_

Artemis called running over to them and waving a large metal suitcase in her arms.

_And we got Riddler up here_

Robin panted. Swift could just see his smug little, and rather cute, smirk plastered over his face.

"So…" Swift smirked as she and her Team leader walked over to the archer. "Now what? Do we go back to the cave?"

"Yes we do" Aqualad agreed with a smile but it faltered as he looked on her face.

"What?" Swift blushed a little unperturbed by the shocked light green eyes staring at her.

"You're hurt" he immediately rushed forwards to wipe at her cheeks.

"Kal what the- oh…" she gulped as his hand was smeared with dark red.

She touched her hand to her cheek where she felt the long scratch that extended from beneath her eye all the way to her temple just below her hairline.

It was the same place that she'd felt a ray of heat almost hit her during the fight, the one that had been made by Superboy.

No…that couldn't be right. Superboy didn't have heat vision; they knew that for a fact. And yet she'd just seen him use it…she'd also seen him…fly…

Unbidden the memory of Bruges and Geneva wafted over her mind.

Conner lunging blindly at Parasite… Conner's powers recharging abnormally faster than anyone else's…Conner neglecting M'gann's wellbeing during the fire…Conner sticking something to his skin before jumping down to the ground…

_Just what is going on?_

* * *

**Mount Justice, December 30 2010, 15:45 EST**

Swift rubbed her freshly patched up cheek as she checked the clock on the holographic screen in the corner of the cave hall. Only an hour to go till she had to be at the airport…an hour till she had to meet her fate…

But it seemed at the moment that fate would have to take a hike. Because Batman was standing in front of her and the Team with Black Canary, Icon and Red Tornado, looking rather pissed off.

"Tell me if this sounds familiar" he growled "You hacked League systems, disobeyed protocol and endangered your lives. And your initiative resulted in the capture of three escaped felons proving Warden Strange runs Belle Reeve as a cover for criminal activity. …Well done"

Swift and Robin both looked at each other in delighted surprise as Batman gave what was unmistakeably an approving smirk, that was as plain as day to see for all. Though it was quickly discarded as he walked towards the recovered metal case, in which were a multitude of little red…things…

"And then there's this." His eyes narrowed suspiciously "bio-technology integrated with some form of nano circuitry"

"Though I am…unfamiliar with this species" Icon added picking up one of the tiny objects gingerly in his hands "its Bio component is clearly not of Earth"

"We'll take it to the Watchtower for further study" Batman nodded gravely.

There was a strangely tense pause in which Swift and the others watched Rocket greet and congratulate her mentor as he left with the other Justice Leaguers, who apparently were having an inauguration party up at the Watchtower.

Once the last of the yellow light had vanished, Robin folded his arms.

"You realise we were set up" he muttered darkly.

"Yes" Aqualad agreed "Cheshire and Riddler were… _tipped_  and ready for us"

"Oh great not the mole thing again!" Artemis face palmed.

"Mole thing?" Rocket asked worriedly "Again?"

"We had intel that there was a traitor on the team" Kid Flash explained grimly.

"Namely Artemis, M'gann or me" Superboy growled angrily.

"Conner it's more…complicated than that" Swift tried to put a consoling hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off gruffly, glaring down at her. Aqualad stepped in-between them to intervene before both Superboy's and Swift's furies could erupt.

"That being said your recent behaviour is of great concern. Your attack on Mammoth nearly got both Swift and Artemis killed"

But Superboy was already walking away. Swift rolled her eyes and began counting down the seconds under her breath, prepping herself to see him ditch his com and storm off like he usually did when pissed off.

But then he suddenly winced and held onto his ear.

"Superboy?" Aqualad asked as the clone straightened up, his face a lot calmer, even resolved.

"There's something I need to do"

* * *

**Santa Prisca, December 30 2010, 17:23 ECT**

To say that Swift was feeling uncomfortable at this moment in time would be a laughable euphemism.

"Ishan…stop it" She shivered in her spot in the descending plane as the dark gloved hand trailed from her knee up her leg.

"Now why in the world would I do that?" he chuckled deeply as he slowly slid his hand around so that a finger began to trail up her inner thigh.

"Don't you bloody dare-" she hissed and at once a ribbon of wind slapped at his wandering hand cutting it as he pulled it away.

"You honestly think that will stop me? That little paper cut was barley anything."

She gritted her teeth as his lips ghosted over her earlobe.

Ishan pulled away his smirk widening as he leant back into his chair, waiting for the plane to hit the landing strip.

Swift was half hoping that it would crash chaotically so that she would have a chance to escape Ishan's clutches but her prayers went unanswered as the plane touched down smoothly before slowing down to a stop.

She unbuckled her belt around her waist and stood up quickly to rush over to the closed plane door. She groped for the handle only to have Ishan's large hand grab her wrist.

"Uh! Uh! Uh!" he tutted "patience Christine."

"Shut up!" she snapped yanking her hand out of his grip.

She waited by the door for a few moments until she was sure the stairs were locked on. As soon as that happened Ishan opened the door and led her down into the cold night air.

The wind whipped past her face and she gripped at it tightly like a lifeline as she descended the stairs walking towards a dark open top four wheel drive in which a woman was sitting in a red evening dress with a low neckline, red lipstick and black lace mask around her eyes.

"Ah my welcome my dear" Red Queen sneered as Ishan opened the car door and Swift stepped up into it.

_Great! Just what I need! An awkward car ride with mother dearest_

Swift rolled her eyes as she folded her arms and legs tight around her as Ishan drove the car away from the landing strip.

Red Queen eyed her daughter with cold eyes. The girls power was stronger than last time they'd met already, she could feel it. The air around her was buzzing with energy. And it was growing stronger with each passing minute.

_It seems Zephyra has decided to speed things up a notch!_

Her red lips tightened into a thin line.

Ten minutes later the car grinded to a stop in front of a large clearing.

"Mam we've arrived" Ishan called back.

Both mother and daughter jumped a little. It seemed he'd startled both of them out of their thoughts, he smirked as he saw the two of them fix him with almost identically matching glares as he helped them in turn out of the car.

"Ah! Good you both have arrived" a deep voice drawled.

Swift looked up and felt her gut drop to her feet.

Lex Luthor, the Lex Luthor, was walking over towards them in his sharp black suit smirking with triumph with an exotic dark skinned beauty.

"Queen Bee you look well" Red Queen smiled coldly as she and the older woman exchanged a brief hug and a kiss on both cheeks.

"As do you Scarlett. Ah! Now what have we here?" The Biaylian queen looked over Swift who stiffened uncomfortably. Red Queen smirked.

"Oh, You're majesty allow me to introduce my daughter. Swift"

"Daughter?" Queen Bee's eyes widened with shock.

"Yes indeed, Swift is the daughter of my late husband"

"Ah yes, you mean the one who was part of the Court of-"

"Yes that husband" Red Queen cut across quickly giving the other woman a meaningful look, leaving Swift to stare at them both with wide eyes.

_The Court of…the court of…what Court?_

"Well that's a relief" Queen Bee sighed "For a moment there I thought that you and that blasted Batman-

"Oh, no, no, your majesty. It's not like that at all." Red Queen chuckled. "Besides, word on the grapevine is that that particular idea has already been planned out and executed by someone else. Of course I don't know who so I am not at liberty to say. But even so it could also just be a rumour"

"Well even if a rumour it still makes good food for thought"

There was the crunching of dirt as Lex Luthor, who had been greeting Ishan, with whom he seemed to be on pleasant speaking terms, stepped forwards to join the conversation.

"Why Scarlett don't you look ravishing" he kissed her pale hand, the one with the spider tattoo, his dark eyes glinting with wicked desire as they swept over the deep plunging neckline that left little to the imagination.

"I'm glad you like it Lex" Red Queen smiled coquettishly back, her voice a silky purr.

It took all of Swift's will power to resist the urge to throw up then and there. But some of her disgust must've shown up on her face because Lex turned to smirk at her.

"My, My… Little miss Swift how much you've grown. Almost as beautiful as your dear mother" he looked at her body up and down, the glint in his eyes brightening.

Whilst her face, hair and colourings were very reminiscent of her father, she could not deny that she had inherited her mother's physique. It was a trait that not many people had noticed over the years, but now that they were standing side by side, their similarity in shape was extremely noticeable. Both were slender, but had evenly wide hips and chest that combined to make a curvy hourglass. The only real difference between the two of them at this point in time was that Swift was much shorter and had slightly more gangly arms and legs than her tall and properly proportioned mother.

"Too bad your ugly bald mug still hasn't changed at all. Luthor" Swift's muttered through gritted teeth crossing her arms across her chest as another person stepped forwards to join them.

"Tut! Tut! Now Swift is that any way to speak to one of your mother's  _friends_ " Scarlett's eyes narrowed warningly as she smirked.

" _Friend's_? So you two back to screwing each other again? Oh? Whoops! Was that supposed to be private? I'm  _so_  sorry" Swift raised her eyebrows, enjoying the slightly surprised look that slashed over Queen Bee's face. But that didn't compare to the snarl that swept over the unmasked portion of Red Queen's face.

"Ishan, take the car back to the landing strip and prepare the helicopter again" she barked angrily.

"Of course mam" Ishan bowed before looking at Swift his amber eyes glinting "Till next time"

"Like hell there's gonna be a next time" Swift growled.

He smirked and walked away.

Lex gave a quick cough.

"Ladies please, if you would care to join me. One of our other young guests seems to be arriving now." he gestured over to a spot which they walked towards.

As they approached they saw a young woman with dirty blonde hair and in a grey office suit walk over towards them with a dead pan expression.

"Mercy! Is he here?"

"Yes sir." The woman nodded her voice a strange monotone. It was almost robotic. "He's descending now in fact"

Swift looked over head just as she saw, sure enough the dark outline of what seemed to be a supped up cycle descend to the grassy ground.

Her eyes widened with shock as she recognised the blue energy lines, red paint coat and worst of all the vehicle's driver who quickly caught sight of her standing alone in the open in front of the group of super villains.

"Swift" Superboy breathed in shock as she ran up to him.

"Superboy…I…I…I!" she tried to reach for his shoulder but Superboy swatted her away glaring down on her angrily.

" _You_ "

"Superboy please listen-It's not what looks like-"

"I thought you said we were friends?! Family! All this time it was you?" he grabbed her wrist and held her up to dangle in the air.

"Tell me I'm wrong! Tell me!"

"Superboy please" Swift winced, her eyes spilling over with tears as he gripped her tiny wrist tighter in his hands. Superboy shut his eyes tight and sighed.

"I knew it" he muttered dropping her to the ground where she proceeded to cry.

"Welcome Superboy" Lex smiled widely in mocking welcome as Superboy turned round to face their group. "I'd like to introduce you to my associates. Queen Bee and Red Queen"

"My pleasure" both women said, looking down with calculating smirks at the sobbing Swift on the ground as Lex continued the introductions.

"And I believe you know everyone else? Sportsmaster, Mercy, Blockbuster and our new friend Bane who has allowed us the use of his island for certain…considerations" Superboy looked around and saw each of the new faces appear, the last of whom was flanked by many armed goons.

"So the Injustice League was just a distraction? You three have been behind everything from the start"

Lex chuckled darkly. "A flattering notion son. But as you have seen. We have many friends"

There was the whirring sound from above as a helicopter flew down. Swift looked up just in time to feel the wind whip around her and see it land.

"Is this one of your friends now?" Superboy glared at Lex who smirked

"No my boy. One of yours"

"Artemis" Both Superboy and Swift gasped as a familiar green clad girl with blond hair stepped out of the helicopter followed by the masked Cheshire and hooded Ishan, who was at the controls setting them for landing.

"The hero thing wasn't working out" Artemis shrugged as she and Cheshire walked over to Sportsmaster who nodded in acknowledgment putting a hand on her shoulder. "You both know how it is. No trust this is where I belong"

"It's a fast growing club" Queen Bee smirked as a shadow passed above them.

There was a whoosh of air as the bio ship came to hover above them, a hole in its floor opening allowing for a familiar cloaked figure to float through.

Miss Martian's eyes widened at the state of her friends below.

"Why are they here? You promised" She rounded on Queen Bee who hissed irritably at her.

"I've kept your secret and my promise. Now you keep yours"

Miss Martian gulped and looked down at the ground with shame.

"Good girl"

"Well, well, my dear" Red Queen smirked down at Swift who looked up at her through tears in her eyes "It seems as if I was right after all. Our kind of people can never have friends or family, not if they truly want to survive and thrive in this world"

"Only too true" Lex nodded in agreement.

Superboy looked down on Swift with narrowed eyes as she gave a howl of misery and clutched at her hair. He gritted his teeth and looked at Lex.

"Give me more shields and I'm in too"

Lex strode over to him confidently but then paused, smirking.

"My boy, you're a terrible liar. Red Sun"

"Superboy…" Swift looked up through tears to watch and saw to her horror that Superboy, who had just been about to lunge at Lex, had stopped dead in his tracks.

There was a pause, but Superboy didn't move a muscle.

Eventually Artemis stepped forwards hands on her hips.

"What do you want us to do?"

Lex looked over at Sportsmaster who nodded back and jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

"You two, follow me" he barked at Cheshire and Artemis who immediately began to follow.

"Wh-What about Superboy…and Swift?" Miss Martian asked timidly.

"Superboy will be fine…he simply requires a few…adjustments" Queen Bee smirked.

"And as for my daughter…" Red Queen looked over at Ishan, who'd been standing in the shadows of a tree. He nodded and walked over to Swift who shivered as he approached.

He quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet, though she was still doubled over sobbing.

"Bring them along" Lex, linked both his arms with Red Queens and Queen Bee and barked at Blockbuster who nodded and walked over towards Superboy.

But before the mutated scientist could even get three giant strides through Artemis sprang forwards and shot an arrow …right at him.

* * *

**Mount Justice, December 30 2010, 15:45 EST**

Superboy was standing in front of them all looking grim

"There's something I need to do…something I need to tell you. Last month on Thanksgiving. I went back to CADMUS, found a few things out. When I was cloned only half the DNA was Superman's the other half was human, that's why I don't have…will never have…full Kryptonian powers."

"You sure?" Robin raised his eyebrows "cause you sure seemed to have them today."

"I've been using these" Superboy pulled up a sleeve to reveal a black patch of some kind in the shape of a pentagon. "Shields. They supress my human DNA. I get the flight, the heat vision…but I think I also get angry. Well…angrier. I'm sorry" he aimed his apology more at Swift than at anyone else because she was still looking pissed off with him.

She was a Bat and Bats had pride that wasn't so easily stepped on without being payed back in kind. But still…he couldn't really help his anger issues and he was apologising…

"It's ok Conner. I'm not pissed off…anymore" she huffed but the corners of her mouth still twitched upwards nonetheless.

"Where did you get those" Aqualad pointed at the shield on Superboy's arm.

At this Superboy looked very sheepish.

"From my human father…Lex Luthor"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock.

"Lex Luthor…Is. Your. DAD?" Robin gaped his jaw dropping.

"He's summoned me to Santa Prisca"

"Oh god …" Swift's heart was racing in her chest like she'd just run a marathon.

"Pardon Swift?" Robin looked sidelong at her with foreboding. He saw her widened white slits in her mask and his face paled "Oh no…don't tell me…she hasn't?!"

"Yes…she has" She groaned.

"Err…hello! Could you two speak in English? There are some of us who don't have the strange Birdy link between the two of you" Kid Flash groaned in exasperation.

Swift gulped. Well she might as well come clean with it now, since they asked so nicely.

"Alright here goes…You guys remember what I told you about Red Queen, right?"

"Yes" most of them nodded except for Rocket who was looking confused.

"Who's Red Queen?"

"One of the most secretive and dangerous Super villainess of this world, intent upon destroying everything the League and I stand for" Swift bristled uncomfortably "…she's also my mother"

"WHAT!" Zatanna shrieked. "How come you never mentioned  _that_  before?"

"You guys never really asked" Swift looked at them all with faint amusement. They were taking this much better than she thought they would. In her mind there had been a lot more angry outbursts and broken furniture flying around, but that may have been because she visualised telling them all in the common room.

"…Mother?! Now I  _didn't_  see that coming" Kid pretended to be as shocked as the rest of them but Swift rolled her eyes.

"Yes you did you numbskull but that's not the point. She's invited me to Santa Prisca too"

"What…why?" Aqualad asked looking shocked.

"Dunno?" she shrugged. "But for whatever reason she and Lex give, it can't be plainer they're hatching something on that island"

"Just one question…" Robin turned round so that he could face her, his face grave and slightly hurt "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier? I thought you said you trusted me?"

"Rob… I do trust you, but like I've told you before…Red Queen has taken so much away from me already…and I guess…when I received that first text…I…was so terrified that I…" She heaved a huge sigh and looked to the ground.

"Did the first thing on autopilot?" he nodded.

"Yeah…sorry"

Robin paused for a moment before shaking his head with an exasperated smile.

"Argh! Who am I kidding? I can't stay mad at you." he hugged her tightly.

There was a pause as everyone watched on with small smiles. It wasn't often that the two of them had such a serious discussion with each other, let alone resolve one in front of them.

"Uh…guys…" Artemis had stepped forwards looking rather nervous.

Robin and Swift broke apart as they along with the others turned to look at their resident archer.

"Listen…Superboy and Swift aren't the only ones suffering from bad DNA"

She walked away from them to summon up a holo computer keyboard which she quickly typed into, pulling up three pictures of three people.

"My mother is Huntress. Ex Con. The rest of my family aren't even ex. My father is Sportsmaster, and he's sending my sister Cheshire to fly me to Santa Prisca too"

Swift's eyes narrowed as she saw Cheshire and Sportsmaster's faces appear side by side next to an Asian woman with short black hair, who's face was half covered by the band of red holo text saying "retired"

"So that's why…" Kid Flash's face dawned with sudden realisation.

"Yeah…" Artemis looked uncharacteristically small and anxious "I was so desperate to make sure none of you found out-"

"We knew" Robin called out suddenly pulling up his and Swift's linked hands.

"You mean  _you_  knew.  _I_  decided to give her some  _privacy_ " Swift rolled her eyes as she noticed the rather affronted look on Artemis's face

"What? We're detectives aren't we? We figure stuff out when we get curious." He pouted but then turned back to his other teammates with a smile. "But that never mattered. You aren't your family. You're one of us."

Artemis gave a small smile as Kid Flash came up to her grinning.

"So…Who's next?" he chuckled.

"I am…" Everyone turned in surprise to see Miss Martian standing in a space on her own, holding herself tight so that she appeared smaller and frailer.

"I swear I was kidding" Kid gulped, though no one took notice.

"Queen Bee's been…blackmailing me…she wants me in Santa Prisca too"

"Blackmailing? How?" Aqualad exchanged worried glances with his other teammates.

"She knows my…true Martian form" Miss Martian looked down at the floor.

"Bald M'gann?" Robin grinned trying to lighten the mood "Who cares if your-"

"No" Miss Martian shut her eyes.

Then suddenly she began to shape shift, though the shape Swift noticed, wasn't anything she'd seen before.

She grew, taller and taller till she was the height of about one and a half men. Her limbs elongated and turned claw-like, her hips narrowed, her face became squat as the gums and teeth became exposed and her normal amber orbs turned into tiny red pinpricks of light a midst a mass of white tough skin that spread over her entire body.

There were several gasps of horrified amazement as the transformation finished. The Martian looked around and once again held herself tight with her long strange fingers.

_I knew you would never accept me if you saw what I really am_

Miss Martian's hurt voice wafted through the mental link.

"M'gann" Aqualad stepped forwards with pity in his face "Did we truly seem so shallow?"

"I couldn't take the chance. Being a white Martian among the green on Mars I endured constant rejection. I couldn't face that from-"

"From me?" Superboy stepped forwards. Out of all of them he seemed the least surprised at seeing her true form in their midst. He took one of her hands and held it in his.

Swift smiled as she saw Miss Martian's head twitch side to side. Obviously they were working this out over the privacy of the mental link.

"We should do this more often" Kid Flash grinned as Miss Martian shifted back into her regular humanoid form. "Could be a good monthly Team building Exercise"

"You know Baywatch" Artemis smirked "That might not be such a bad idea"

"It would certainly keep everyone honest," Aqualad nodded in agreement.

"And it could help wheedle out any other possible mole problems that might come our way" Swift smirked shaking her head fondly as Robin began snickering. "You were just thinking about all of us looking like real little furry moles weren't you?"

"Yes"

Everyone sighed in exasperation.

* * *

**Santa Prisca, December 30 2010, 17:59 ECT**

Artemis's arrow twanged from its bow and struck Blockbuster, instantly bursting into a mass of high density foam.

"Sorry Dad! Wanted to play you like you played mom! But I can't let them mess with Superboy's head" She quickly turned round and fitted another arrow to her bow.

_M'gann be a dear and take Artemis down_

Queen Bee looked at Miss Martian who nodded, glaring fiercely.

She raised her palm. Swift watched as Artemis was lifted up into the air, just in time to miss being hit by Sportsmaster who'd just lunged for her.

Then the Martian girl's hands flicked sideways.

Red Queen and Lex Luthor both jerked back in surprise as Queen Bee was flung backwards telekinetically into a tree, where she crumpled at its feet.

At that same moment Artemis shot a smoke bomb arrow and knocked out her dad and sister.

_Queen Bee is down. Superboy you're safe from her control_

Miss Martian confirmed over the mental link.

Swift stopped crying and delivered a squirt of her little bottle of eye drops into Ishan's eyes. He jerked away from her allowing her to spin around and throw an exploding birdarang filled with knockout gas.

"Next time you even think of touching me, think twice" she growled as she stood up to join Superboy.

_Would you like to do the honours?_

Swift smirked.

_Split it. Fifty-fifty_

The corners of Superboy's lips twitched upwards.

"I may not be a good liar! But I fooled you" he glared as they both walked towards Red Queen and Lex Luthor both of whom were looking shocked.

"And I'm so proud" Lex dusted himself off motioning for Mercy to defend him and his partner in crime.

"I take it Miss Martian cleaned Red Sun from your mind-"

"And confirmed Swift, Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash rescued me from CADMUS  _before_  you had time to install any other programming"

"Or damage his mind to be susceptible to any telepathic controls you'd place in him" Swift glowered at her mother who sighed.

"All true"

"Though personally I blame Dr Desmond" Lex frowned just as a dark shape hurtled towards them from the side.

"Swift!" Superboy called as Ishan made to grab the girl wonder in a lock, but failed as she flipped them over.

"I'm fine" Her eyes widened.

"Superboy behind you!"

Superboy turned just in time to see Blockbuster let out a large roar and burst forth from the hardened green foam. He rammed into the super clone holding him over the edge of a nearby cliff wall.

But Swift didn't have time to see anything else. Ishan had just hit her painfully in the shoulder.

"Sorry beautiful, but I'm not letting you get away from me this time" he growled before rolling over and pinning her down.

"Like hell that's ever gonna happen!" Swift grunted quickly pulling her legs up to her chest and using all her core strength to throw him off with her feet on his solar plexus. He thudded off her onto the ground and she scrambled to her feet holding up her hands, ignoring the sounds of the shooting around them as she flicked her wrists forwards. At once ice began to form around Ishan's arms and legs, holding down his struggling form to the ground.

_Guy's reinforcement time_

She heard Artemis call over the mental link.

 _About bloody time._ Swift's eyes narrowed as through the corner of her eye she saw Rocket and Kid Flash take down Bane's followers.

**HSSSSSS**

Swift wheeled around to see Ishan on the floor, his body smoking…no….steaming…literally!

"Oh Christine…" The amber eyes glinted dangerously and the ice began to glow yellowing gold to red from within.

Swift's eyes widened as the ice around his hand began to drip, melting quickly away with tendrils of steam wafting up into the air.

"Do you honestly think you're the only one with tricks up your sleeve?"

He stood up slowly the glow around his body growing steadily. Swift suddenly felt a change in temperature and blinked hard to summon the wind ribbons.

Around her were the usual rainbow colours, with more blues than the rest, but around Ishan everything was bright hot yellows and oranges.

"That's right … take a good long look…" Ishan panted as the glow intensified and his amber eyes glinted brightly. "These are the Southern Summer winds and I am their master, just as you are the mistress of the North Winter Winds"

"But…how…" Swift gasped as Ishan's glow flared and at once his body was surrounded by a burning yellow flame. It licked at his body and clothes and yet at the same time burned nothing on him.

Swift narrowed her eyes as she saw him raise a hand allowing her bat instincts to take control. She dodged a blast of fire and smelt something burning.

But before she could put out the fire on the grass and trees another bright ball burst towards her. this time she had to leap into the air to avoid it.

He aimed another few blasts of fire before leaping up to fly in the air after her, laughing loudly as they both zoomed around the battlefield. The sound was terrifying and sent such bad tremors through Swift that she was almost unable to focus on her flying. Several times she'd almost been hit by ricocheting bullets, and once she'd even gotten grazed on the shoulder.

And yet despite all this chaos, none of her training, none of her mental strength seemed to be in her. All she could think about was running away, flying away. Nothing else mattered as long as she could escape her terror.

She could barely concentrate on her friend's concerned calls through the mental link as she was forced to zoom around the Super Cycle so that she could bank sharply and throw Ishan off course. But of course he was more experienced with his powers, so he avoided that easily.

"Oh missy! You're gonna have to do better than that"

At once unbidden, something flashed across her mind.

* * *

_"Ha missy! You're gonna have to do better than that"_

_"Isha~n! No fair! No fair! You know I can't climb that high!"_

* * *

Swift screamed as she dodged another fire blast and his cackles became louder behind her.

"You leave her alone you monster!" came a loud angry yell as Miss Martian flew in front of Swift her green glowing eyes flashing dangerously.

"M'gann no!" Swift pushed her teammate out of the way just in time to avoid the largest blast of fire of all. They both crashed into the ground, Swift cushioning their landing with a net of woven air.

"Hahahahaha!" Ishan's laugh was louder than ever as he hovered above them, looking down on them with relish. "Oh how I wish I could stay to finish you off Martian girl, but I've gotta jet"

Swift's eyes widened as she saw, illuminated in the fire around his body, a helicopter ascending into the air. Ishan flew up higher to go level with it and whispered something into the wind, which travelled down in a warm tendril to brush against Swift's ear.

"Only one more obstacle my dearest and then…you'll be mine" It hissed. Swift shuddered suddenly feeling very sick to her stomach with horror.

She didn't even bother to move to stop the helicopter from leaving. She only sat and shivered on the ground like she had a temperature.

She felt something warm surround her hand and jumped. But it was only Miss Martian's hand.

"Hey…you ok?"

"I-I was so…" Swift looked down to the ground and sniffed.

"I know…" Miss Martian's face softened as she reached up and wiped a real tear away as it clung to her cheek. "But at least now you don't have to face him alone anymore"

Swift smiled wearily as a wave of positive emotion that wasn't her own, seeped into her, calming her body and mind.

"Thank you M'gann"

"Any time Swift" Miss Martian's face split into a kind smile as she gripped Swift's hand tightly in hers.

"M'gann! Swift!"

"We're right here Robin" Miss Martian called as she saw the little dark figure that was the boy wonder run over to them.

Robin saw this as he came close enough and smirked.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"Not really" Swift smiled running up to him and hugging him tight. Miss Martian smiled at them and flew off quickly to give them some privacy, winking at Swift as she passed.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you with… _him_ " Robin murmured scowling slightly at the mention of Ishan's existence.

"It's ok, besides no one could have probably helped me out when he was like that"

"Yeah…he really was totally on fire tonight" Robin grinned as he saw his partner roll her eyes fondly.

"Agh! You and your puns"

"You know you love them"

"Hmm…maybe"

She leant up and gave him a small peck. Robin smiled and entwined his hand in hers.

"Come on…let's go"

They made their way over to the rest of the group just as Kid Flash and Artemis also came level.

Robin caught the speedster's eye and gave him a knowing wink and a smirk. Kid blushed a little but grinned sheepishly all the same.

"Wow! It is always like this" Rocket smiled happily at all of them.

"Told you" Zatanna nodded grinning as well.

"So recap!" Swift smirked "One of our good friend's has joined the Justice League, we get a sassy new team member, we beat up some pretty tough villains, we retrieve our mystery case and we solve the mole problem!"

"In short disaster averted. Feeling the Aster" Robin chuckled.

"Agreed. This has been a good day" Aqualad smiled proudly around at all of them. Today of all days he could not have asked for a better team.

* * *

**?, December 30 2010, 22:42 EST**

"AHRGHH! GODDAMNIT!"

_SMASH! CLANG! CRASH!_

"Mam if you would please calm down."

"Don't you tell me what to do you stupid boy! Damn it! That little brat! How dare she-HOW DARE SHE! We had it all planned out! Everyone was there! We had them all at our fingertips! And yet somehow-SOMEHOW that little bitch managed to manoeuvre her and her little team of super brats into winning"

"Maybe it was a lucky shot"

"Lucky?! Ha! Unlikely. You forget Ishan. She's more like me than she knows. She may not be aware of it completely but instinctively she knows how to play the game. She knows…She knows how to play the chessboard; she can see it set out in front of her now just as easily as I can now…and that can only mean one thing…"

'"Mam?"

"Call Vandal Savage. Tell him it's urgent and that he needs to move his pawn on the field at once because as of now… the gloves come off"

"And what do we do after that"

"We? We stay right where we are and see how this first match plays out. Do not interfere! No matter what happens!"

* * *

**The Watchtower, December 30 2010, 23:46 EST**

Batman was standing alone in the meeting room of the Justice League headquarters studying the bio-circuitry of the strange little nano-chips the team had found.

_Odd…I cannot even understand the language of the software…_

He vaguely wondered whether he should call the cave and try and get both Dick and Christine online to help him….if they were not to busy with their own new years celebrations.

He sighed softly as he pulled up a larger holographic image of the internal structures. Oh god how he wished he could just be at home resting and relaxing with the two of them instead of being stuck up here in outer space with a puzzle in front of him and an annoyingly loud party on the other side of the door, which slid open at that moment.

"So are you ever joining the party?" Came the familiar voice of Red Arrow.

Batman turned around to see the younger man smirking with his arms folded across his chest.

"Or should I call Chris to get her to make you go with her puppy dog eyes?"

Batman's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly at the joke. He turned back to look at the hologram eyes narrowed.

"This Bio-circuitry is disturbingly sophisticated"

"I'll take that as a no" Red patted him on the back before turning to leave.

Batman sighed as he yearning to see both his kids and spend some quiet time welled up slightly, but no sooner had the thought crossed his mind he felt a sting in his head.

He grunted in shock. Oh no! What was happening? Christine's and Dick's faces were fading fast in front of his eyes…no wait scratch that he was fading…his mind was…

Red Arrow smirked as Batman turned round to face him, his face blank and more devoid of emotion than ever in his wiped out state.

They both walked out the doorway and into the main hall of the Watchtower, where every single member, from the new to the old were standing in two lines waiting more obediently and rigidly than even the tin soldiers from Christine's Nutcracker ballet.

Red Arrow escorted the mind controlled Batman up to a small holo computer keyboard where he entered a sequence of code before speaking mechanically.

"Override Batman 02"

**_Recognised_ **

The feminine computer voice announced as the Zeta tube in front of them whirred into life.

**_Access Granted: Vandal Savage, A04_ **

A figure stepped out of the glowing yellow light, tall and big in stature, with dark hair and skin and three large slashing scars across his face, wearing dark blue clothes with red trimming stepped out.

He smirked down at the heroes below him who all bowed on one knee before him. All except one…

Red Arrow grunted rubbing the side of his head round and round like he was trying to get rid of a headache. Finally he seemed to come to and gasped.

Panic filled every fibre of his being as he looked around at all the kneeling, mind controlled heroes, before staring up at the man towering above him.

"I-I was the mole"

"Yes" Savage's smile widened as he descended the stairs "Yes you were"

Red Arrow stared ahead, seeing but not seeing as he looked at the zeta tube and faintly he was reminded of the first time he'd come to the cave. He saw all his friends' faces, saw their smiles as they laughed and joked, saw their anger when they argued, saw their elation when he finally made it…

* * *

_"Good luck Roy. I really hope you make it"_

_"Don't worry I will"_

* * *

_Oh no…_

He fell to his knees shaking like a leaf. They were his friends…his family…and now…he'd failed them…he'd failed all of them…

"…What have I done?


	29. Episode 26: Auld Acquaintance

**Mount Justice, December 31 2010, 07:16 EST**

Swift yawned as she and her team walked down the length of the corridor.

"Remind me again why we can't have a lie in? We totally kicked ass yesterday!" she grumbled sidelong at Aqualad who fixed her with a stern look.

"We have every reason to feel proud of yesterday's victories. But one thing has not changed."

"Somehow the bad guys are still getting inside intel about us?" Robin grabbed her hand and pulled her up so that she was level with him.

"Great just great" She rolled her eyes yawning again.

"Yeah! But still at least we know none of us are the mole" Kid Flash added happily as they stepped into the main hall where Batman and Red Tornado were waiting for them patiently.

"That's correct" the Dark Knight growled as he typed onto a holo computer "The mole was…Red Arrow"

Swift eyes widened all sleepiness forgotten.

"Roy…" Robin gripped her hand following her train of thought as Kid Flash yelled in disbelief.

"No way!"

"Batman that cannot be" Aqualad stepped forwards his face strained by disbelief "He was Green Arrow's protégé. We have all known him for years."

"Unfortunately" Red Tornado said mechanically as always "The Roy Harper we have known for the last three years is another Project CADMUS clone"

"What…" Swift's voice cracked slightly. This just could not be true, it couldn't. She had to force herself to listen as Batman continued the explanation calmly.

"The real Speedy was abducted and replaced immediately after becoming Green Arrow's sidekick. The clone was pre-programmed with a drive to join the Justice League, which is why he was so angry over any delays to his admission, and why he refused to join the team. This Roy Harper had no idea he was a clone…or a traitor. And his subconscious programming drove him to become…League worthy, so he struck out on his own as Red Arrow. When he was finally admitted, his secondary programming kicked in, and he attempted to betray the League to Vandal Savage. Fortunately, I had already deduced Red Arrow was a clone. We were prepared"

"Savage was subdued, but Red Arrow escaped. He is now a fugitive. Armed and  _dangerous_ " Red Tornado finished off.

"If you guys hadn't rescued me from CADMUS…" Superboy scratched the back of his neck as a chill of foreboding ran up his spine.

"What…what happened to the real Roy?" Robin was still looking rather shocked but he held himself together.

"We don't know. He isn't at CADMUS. We have to face the possibility that the real Roy Harper…is dead" Batman broke off as a tiny sniff became audible. They all looked to see Swift scrubbing at her masked eyes.

"It's alright" she mumbled as Robin put a hand on her shoulder. She tried smiling but her lips could barely do anything besides tremble. She and her partner leaned into each other just as the Kid Flash looked down at the ground and Aqualad grit his teeth, before boldly looking up.

"The cloned Roy. The Team will find him" he declared but Batman shook his head.

"Negative. Red Arrow is a member of the Justice League now. Leave him to us. Swift I need you to come with me"

"But-" Swift tried to say but Batman cut across her firmly.

"That wasn't a request. That was an order. We're needed at the Watchtower. Tornado, stay with the rest of the kids"

He barked as he strode forwards and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Ok! Ok! Geeze! You don't need to be so rough." she struggled slightly as she gruffly tried to shrug him off but he wouldn't relinquish his hold. She sighed heavily. "Sorry guys…I guess I'll have to see you all later" She turned back looking apologetically at Robin who was looking a little bewildered as she was steered towards the Zeta tube.

She would've turned round for one last glimpse of them all but Batman's hand on her shoulder was surprisingly painful. She winced a little as the Zeta tubes yellow light engulfed her and the familiar disorientation set in as her body was zapped across to the portal's other side.

**_Recognised Batman 0-2, Swift B-0-2_ **

Swift opened her eyes and blinked. She and Batman had reappeared at the top of a small flight of stairs overlooking a large hall. It was strange. It had a roof and columns on all sides but otherwise it was almost completely open.

Swift felt her eyes drawn to the open space in front of her where she could see the massive sphere of the Earth as they hovered over Northern America.

Wow…was that just the planet she'd just been on?

She felt Batman's grip on her shoulder tighten

"Dad what-" she gasped.

A dark skinned man with black hair, three scars across his face and wearing a long dark blue coat with red lining walked up towards her up the stairs, his brown eyes glinting with triumphant glee.

Swift felt her breath catch in her chest as something ice cold, that wasn't something to do with her own powers, flooded through her veins.

"V-V-Vandal S-Savage?!"

"Hello Miss Swift" Savage smirked, thrilled at her obvious terror. He looked up at Batman whose face remained completely blank. "Thank you Batman. I will take it from here"

Swift didn't even have a chance to bolt. Batman had been fast to shove her arm into Savages grip before turning on his heel.

"Dad! No!"

But he was already walking away towards the other end of the hall. He didn't even respond. Savage grabbed her as she began to struggle wildly.

"DAD! PLEASE! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! JUST LISTEN TO ME! DAD! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

He was turning around a corner. He hadn't even turned round to look at her as she screeched out for him, tears streaming down her face.

"DAD! WAKE U-"

"SILENCE!"

_KATHWACK!_

Swift put a hand to her cheek as she felt something in her mouth crack. She looked up and stared at Savage through wide tear stained eyes.

"I would recommend you keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you, you noisy brat" he spat down on her as he pulled her up to her feet.

"What…What have you done to him?" she sobbed trying to tug away from him.

"Oh nothing much that you'll need to worry your pretty little head about" he sneered.

"You let him go!"

"Him? Just him? Your entire world balancing on the edge of a knife and all you bargain for is the life of only one of the people you hold dear?"

She winced as the grip on her wrist became so painful she was sure that it would break under any more pressure. He pulled her up by the wrist into the air so that her face dangled dangerously in front of his.

"I won't release him. Not until I make him kill you, torture you, in every single most horrific, sadistic and vulgar way he knows you fear. And then when he's done I'll wake him up just long enough to see his good work and I being the merciful man I am, will end his suffering by snapping his neck just as he breaks."

"You…You…You won't-ngh!-get away with this….I…I won't let you" She sobbed through gritted teeth trying to dispel the horrific images flashing across her mind.

Savage burst out laughing, the chortles of malicious pleasure bouncing off the walls and ceiling, reverberating around the room, shaking Swift to her core. He dropped her to the ground where she landed on her front painfully.

She tried to scramble to her feet but his large booted foot flicked out, almost lazily to kick her hard in the guts.

"Tch! You won't let  _me_?! You little brat. Do you think that just because you're the protégé of Batman that you're really anything special? Say what you want. Do what you want. It won't change the fact that you're nothing but a pathetic child trying to cling onto your dreams and devotions in hopes that you'll be saved from a darkness of your own making. Wake up or else you'll end up just like that good for nothing father of your-"

Savages eyes widened in shock as, suddenly as a rattlesnake bite, she lunged at him, freezing wind wrapping around her hand, solidifying till it was a sharply tipped icy claw.

He pulled up an arm to grab her and fling her off. She was tossed away but she hovered in mid-air muscles tense, eyes blazing with the wrath and might of an icy blizzard.

"Don't you dare…Don't you dare talk about my father that way you…you…" she growled feeling the familiar tingle of ice cold energy wrap around her fingers as she righted herself in the air.

"F-ING MONSTER!"

She lunged at him again this time flinging her hands forwards.

A blast of cold energy surged at Savage who dodged, but not before several sharp shards of ice hurtled through the air at him like daggers, one grazing his left temple.

Savage's breath hitched in his throat as he saw a couple of locks of his rough black hair float to the ground. Another loud blast and he looked up just in time to roll over to the side as a blasting birdarang was flung at his spot.

The smoke billowed around him as he stood up, but not before he caught sight of a small shadow

_Hmmph! Bats. Always trying to hide behind a smokescreen_

he smirked lunging forwards in the smoke to grab what he thought would be an arm.

Instead he jerked his hand back with a sharp intake of breath.

In front of him was, not a living breathing girl, but a solid cold life size statuette.

"What the?"

He winced as in the corner of his eye something bright yellow flashed and whirred.

**_Recognised Swift B-0-2_ **

"NO!" he growled in frustration as he lunged for the zeta tube, but too late.

Swift was already gone.

"Aquaman! Green Arrow! Hawkman! Flash! After her! Capture her alive, NOW!"

* * *

**Washington D.C., December 31 2010, 09:04 EST**

Red Arrow huffed and puffed as he quickly locked the door to his apartment before sliding down against it.

"Shit!" he muttered wiping at the half dried blood under his nose. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"

He could not believe it! Just earlier yesterday he was overjoyed! Happy! He'd finally become a member of the Justice League, he'd had a team of friends, glory, honour, and now…now…all he was, was a traitor.

A low life, good for nothing, traitor.

He opened his eyes gritting his teeth as he sat there for a moment. He let himself soak in the grey light of the cloudy sky leaning his sweaty head back into the hard wood of the door half wishing he could sink into it and never come out again.

Then a tiny dot appeared far off in the distance, moving and jerking about in the sky above the buildings.

_Great…Now I'm a traitor and a psycho …_

He grunted watching the dot come closer and closer, winding its way clumsily. Soon the figure of a person became noticeable.

Red Arrow sprang to his feet, fitting the arrow to the string on autopilot but for some strange reason his fingers didn't let the arrow fly.

_What the hell is wrong with you! Shoot them goddamn it!_

He waited, the bow shaking a little in his fatigued hands as the figure hurtled closer and closer till…

Red Arrow ducked down as the window burst apart with a resounding smash, sending shards of sharp glass flying everywhere like bomb shrapnel.

As soon as the shards had finished flying, he leapt up his arrow once again prepared to strike.

"AHHH! DON'T SHOOT! DON'T SHOOT!"

He stopped in his tracks… only just in time.

"Chris?"

The bow arrow dropped to the floor with a clatter as Red Arrow swooped down to pull her up off the ground and into his arms.

"Christine what the- What the hell happened to you?!" Red Arrow tugged her away to get a good look at the girl wonder. Her dark brown hair was wildly messed up, with shards of glass sticking out of it from every angle while the black material over her arms and legs was lightly torn and scratched, a couple of places bleeding with shallow cuts. He heard a choking sob and saw up close up that her face was covered with tears.

"Roy! Roy! You've gotta help me! Savage he-he's after me– Dad handed me over to him – the-the league…the league…"

"…Chris?" Red breathed panic hitting him like a hard stroke to a gong, as Swift's eyes rolled back into her head and she fell into his chest, motionless and still.

"CHRIS?!"

Something clattered behind him and Red Arrow turned his head.

The door handle to his apartment was jiggling around as if someone were trying to turn it.

Red Arrow quickly settled Swift down to the ground as gently as he could before snatching up his bow and arrow and readying it to face the door.

There was a pause as the doorhandle stopped twisting, before…

_CRASH!_

The door flew open revealing a familiar dark skinned, blonde haired young man with stern green eyes.

"I have not come to harm or apprehend you, but the Team requires answers" Aqualad said calmly, though it was as plain as day that the Atlantian boy's muscles were as tense as the bowstring set to fire.

"Me first!" Red stepped over Swift's unconscious body to protectively stand over her. "Tell me something you haven't told anyone else. Tell me who broke your heart"

Aqualad's features softened with anguish.

"Tula…The girl I loved chose my best friend Garth over me. While my best friend on the surface world aims an arrow at my chest"

Red Arrow lowered his weapon down slowly and stepped back to his friend to make his way to Swift who was lying abnormally still on the ground.

"Is she ok?" He asked his voice quavering slightly. She was usually so bright and full of energy and now here she was, lying so motionless on the floor, frailer and more fragile than a dying kitten. It was absolutely terrifying.

Aqualad quickly pressed his fingers close to her neck. Her pulse was strong and steady. He held his ear close to her mouth and sighed in relief as he felt her warm breath tickle his ear in slow even inhalations.

"She'll be alright. She's just used up too much energy"

"Oh thank god!" Red ran a hand through his hair to wipe away the sweat. "Thank god…"

* * *

**Mount Justice, December 31 2010, 07:20 EST**

_Huh? KIDS?!_

Robin was still seething about the comment long after Batman had left with his partner. He scowled darkly as Aqualad turned to all of them speaking through the mental link

_Clone or no clone, Red Arrow was one of us. We will go after him._

There was a strange clunking sound behind him, and they all turned to see Red Tornado now freezing in a spot behind their leader his hand up hovering close to his gilled neck.

_Tornado!_

_What happened to him?_

_He's totally powered down_

Kid peered up into the face of the android, noticing the lack of movement in the eyes. Robin and Swift exchanged glances and both pulled up their holo computers

_All functions offline._

_Uh…guys._

Zatanna's voice sounded very unsure

_I'm sensing a low level mystic force at play. I don't know if it caused his shutdown. But now that I think about it I was getting the same buzz off Batman._

_Batman…he called us kids… He never does that…_

Robin narrowed his eyes scanning Red Tornado's body.

_And he never treats Swift so roughly either._

Kid Flash reached out to one of the robot's hands.

_Look…One of those bio-tech chips we confiscated off Cheshire_

He held up the strange red chip in his hand.

_Something is not right_

Aqualad frowned.

_Robin, Kid, Zatanna, Rocket. See if you can get Tornado back online. The rest with me to find Ro-Red Arrow_

Aqualad turned his back and led Artemis, Superboy and Miss Martian away to the Zeta tubes to depart.

_So now what?_

Rocket asked looking at Robin who looked at his computer.

_The problem is Hardware not Software…but where do we start?_

"I have a thought" Zatanna muttered glaring up at the ceiling where the hatch to Red Tornado's apartment was shut.

It took them a good fifteen minutes for Rocket and Zatanna to safely manoeuvre Red Tornado's Android alter ego down onto a platform beside his normal robot body, by which time Kid and Robin had managed to summon from the floor two adjacent platforms and holo computers to monitor their download.

"Download in progress" Robin muttered watching carefully as the load up bar popped up on the screen.

"So… Tornado built this android…to party?" Rocket raised her eyebrows as she looked down at the synthetic but humanoid face.

"Not how he put it but yeah, more or less" Zatanna shrugged.

Everyone else tilted their heads to the side just as a zeta tube whirred into life.

**_Recognised: Black Canary 1-3_ **

They all looked up to see the beautiful blonde heroin stride towards them from the tube her face marred by gentle concern.

"Hey guys. Wanted to check in see how you're handling the-WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RED?!" she suddenly yelled in anger as she caught sight of the robot and android bodies on the slabs.

"It's not how it looks!" Kid cried out in total denial.

"It looks like you're downloading his consciousness into a new body" Black Canary's eyes narrowed.

There was a beep and a small pause as the download bar finished loading and red text flashed up on the screen saying "download complete"

"Ok…it's pretty much exactly how it looks" Kid grinned sheepishly as Robin rolled his eyes resisting the urge to facepalm.

But before he could say anything at all, the android on the slab's eyes snapped open and cried out with Red Tornado's voice.

"Team get out of the Cave NOW!"

Black Canary's eyes widened for a moment in shock, before blasting open her mouth and letting loose a canary cry.

Robin hit the deck as Red Tornado's android body was split apart by the sheer force of the scream, the torso hitting Kid Flash and the legs hitting Rocket and Zatanna.

As soon as she'd belted it out completely, Robin flipped back onto the now empty slab and lunged at her. She threw each of him off quickly, sending him toppling to the ground.

As he landed he pressed his belt buckle and a tiny little smoke bomb which he'd planted on Canary's shoulder exploded into a haze of knockout gas in her face.

Rocket made a spherical barrier around the struggling heroin, trapping her and the smoke inside.

There were a couple of moments of frantic scrabbling inside before they heard a disoriented grunt and a thud. A hand dragged across the surface of the sphere, slowly sliding downwards as Canary fell unconscious.

"Black Canary attacked us?" Zatanna breathed staring at their fighting instructor in alarm.

"Black Canary is the least of our problems" the Android Red Tornado torso, struggled onto his elbows and looked at them all with a very stern look "We must abandon the cave"

**_Recognised: Icon 2-0, Doctor Fate 1-7, Captain Marvel 1-5_ **

But no sooner had the last numeral sounded the frantic teens were already zipping out the side of the mountain

"Phew" Robin sighed sinking back into his chair as he pulled them up higher into the air.

"Stay off your radios" Red Tornado commanded "Let the Super cycle track Superboy, instruct her to mask all signals. We cannot allow the League to track us"

"Right…of course. Just one question… WHY IS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE AFTER US?!" Kid Flash cried out angrily.

"The entire League is under the complete mental domination of Vandal Savage." Tornado explained as they flew over the harbour water. "Red Arrow seems to have been his means. His method, was something Vandal referred to as Starro Tech. An alien vile organism infused with nano-technology and magic. It shuts down the minds autonomy, allowing Savage to reprogram the individual to suit his needs. Even my  _inorganic_  brain was not immune. But the process requires 0.16 nanoseconds to fully integrate with its host's nervous system. That delay allowed me to create an internal sub-program, which would disconnect my power cells if I attempted to infect another person. Fortunately the Starro-tech is body specific. As John Smith I am now free of outside control."

"This Starro-tech it worked on super-powered humans, four flavours of aliens, an android and even Doctor Fate! Defeating all of you without a fight and…and..."

"Wait hang on you don't mean-" all the colour drained from Kid's face as comprehension dawned. "Oh god no!"

"Indeed," Red Tornado admitted nodding his humanoid face suddenly looking downcast as if ashamed "a remarkable achievement. One not so easily countered but that is the least of your worries. Unfortunately I was not able to override the programming in time to prevent Batman from capturing Swift. If I had I can assure you I would never let it happen. I'm sorry"

Robin grit his teeth and suddenly bashed his fist against the side of the Super cycle.

"Damn it… DAMN IT!"

The others watched on silently with pity as he gripped harshly at the roots of his dark hair, roaring out his anger, anguish and aggravation.

How could he have been so stupid?! Why hadn't he listened to his bad gut feelings? He remembered the fearful look as Swift had turned to look back at them all before disappearing in that flash of yellow light…and now she was in the clutches of one of the most dangerous villains the Justice League had ever faced.

 _Miss Martian! Miss Martian are you in range_?

Robin cried out desperately, hoping against hope that the Martian girl would telepathically hear him. He sighed in relief as she her respond, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to hold herself together.

_Right here Robin. Linking both squads and De-camouflaging_

And sure enough above them the dark shadow of the red ship became visible over their heads.

_Great! Because we really need to compare notes_

As soon as the Bio ship had encased the Super Cycle whole, Robin jumped out of his seat and dashed to the helm yelling in a blur of words as he rushed over to his team leader.

"AqualadSwiftsintrouble! Theleaguehasher! Savagemadethemdoithegavethem-"

"Robin calm down!" Aqualad grabbed Robin's shoulders firmly "Calm down. You're speaking too fast for anyone to comprehend. Take a deep breath-"

"Butwehavenotime-"

"Robin! Breathe!" Aqualad barked as he forced the boy wonder to sit in a chair Miss Martian had summoned.

Robin took a deep shuddering breath looking down at the floor. Everyone else just looked at him worriedly but stood away to give him space.

"That's right Robin just breathe…" Aqualad said patiently as he knelt down to be at eye level "now say what you've got to say, SLOWLY"

Robin nodded, gulping down a couple of breaths before speaking in a raspy gasp. "Red Tornado just told us that the entire Justice League has been infected by the nano-tech Starro chips we confiscated off Cheshire yesterday. He says Vandal Savage organised the whole thing. Red Tornado is now free because we were able to transfer his mind into his new body and the chips are only body specific. But he couldn't stop Batman from taking Swift! And now Vandal Savage has got her and-"

"Robin it's alright" Aqualad squeezed the younger boy's shoulders gently "Swift's fine. She's here in the bio ship"

"What?" the white slits of Robin's eyes were so wide and large now. "How?"

"She escaped on her own. Red Arrow found her on the run"

"You did?" Robin looked at Red Arrow dumbfounded. The archer bristled in his seat.

"No…I didn't find her…she found me…by crashing through a window" he muttered the last bit under his breath, hoping against hope that the bird wouldn't hear him. Unfortunately his prayers went unanswered as Robin flared up at once.

"Crashed! What do you mean? She's not-"

"No she's fine" Aqualad cut off quickly. "She's just exhausted from using her powers. She's resting on the starboard side"

He quickly motioned towards Miss Martian who nodded at the helm and pulled down an organic wall to reveal Swift sitting up on a long slab, her body bare except for her underwear and bra.

"What the hell are you doing? You should be sleeping" Artemis, who had been sitting closest to the door ran and hissed gruffly as she pulled up the sheets on the slab to wrap around the younger girl's shoulders.

"I…I felt…Rob and the others…through the mind link…are…are they here?" Swift muttered in a daze as she tried to reach her toes down to the ground.

"Yes I'm here"

Artemis jumped as Robin suddenly appeared beside her and took the sheets from her hand. He quickly secured the sheets around her shoulders, trying to bite back his horror as he caught sight of the multitude of shallow and deep scratches that riddled her half naked body.

"Guys…can you give us a minute?"

The rest of the team exchanged glances.

"Robin I don't think we have ti-"

"Kal…please"

Aqualad sighed resigned. The boy wonder could be pretty stubborn when he wanted to be.

"Alright…but come out soon… We haven't got much time and we need to formulate a plan."

There was a small silence as Artemis stepped out quickly before Miss Martian closed the wall up on the two birds.

After a small pause, Robin pulled off his mask and sighed deeply.

"Dick?"

Blue eyes snapped open at once to see her pale face with long dark hair hover above, looking very worried.

Christine moved away slightly noticing with apprehension that his gloved hands were trembling.

She reached out with a timid hand and stroked his messy black locks out of his face but as soon as her skin made contact with his, he flung himself on top of her, the both of them landing backwards onto the slab

"Dick!"

She flushed red as he buried his head into her bosom.

But Dick continued nuzzling his face into her flesh, his cheek grazing her bra.

"Oh god Dick stop that" Christine grabbed at the fabric of his cloak, trying to pull him back as he his nose brushed over the spot over her heart. He took a deep inhale.

"…you're ok…"

"What?"

Christine's blush stopped in its tracks as she felt his body begin to tremble as if…

"You're ok" he whispered his voice cracking

She felt something watery dribble down her skin from the point his scrunched up eyes were buried in.

"I was such an idiot!"

"…Dick…"

"I knew something was off about Batman but I still let him take you"

"Shh, Dick it's ok-"

"When Red told us about Vandal Savage I thought…oh god…"

"Dick I'm fine... I'm right here. I'm right here" she repeated listening to his breaths which were beginning to slow down as he gulped down his own sobs.

"I-I'm sorry" Dick sniffed, sounding a lot like he had a head cold. "That was….Acting like a stupid baby, I'm sorry"

"Don't be" Christine smiled softly down on him. "Neither of us knew what was going on…it wasn't your fault" she allowed herself to sink back into the slab, thinking hard.

So much had happened in these past six months. New superpowers, new friends, new mysteries. It was just becoming one big blur of chaos, in front of her eyes.

_So much change…so little time_

She sighed heavily remembering the words Zephyra had spoken back on Roanoke Island. Three words in particular stood out to her.

_Lady of Order…_

"Dick…"

"Yeah?"

"Fetch me my uniform. We have work to do."

Well if she was going to live up to her title she might as well buckle up and start acting now!

* * *

**The Watchtower, December 31 2010, 23:16 EST**

**_Recognised Black Canary 1-3, Red Tornado 1-6, Red Arrow 2-1, Swift B-0-2_ **

The three Justice Leaguers stepped down the stairs dragging the limp and dejected form of their captive behind them.

Savage waited for them patiently as Red Arrow yanked Swift by the scruff of her neck and tossed her forwards to the ground at his new master's feet.

She lay there groaning with pain but barely able to move because of the tight bindings around her. Satisfied, Savage looked up at his minions.

"Any problems?"

Black Canary stepped forwards.

"Despite an initial setback I was able to reinfect Red Tornado and Red Arrow"

"As well as the entire team" Red Tornado added, his voice mechanical again in his newly rebuilt red body. "They await reprogramming back on Earth"

"…I think not" Savage's eyes narrowed and at once he brought his foot down on Swift's meek form. However instead of the rough sole hitting the bones and flesh, it hit only air.

Black Canary, Red Tornado and Red Arrow's eyes all widened as Swift's body vanished in a puff of smoke, the bindings all dropping to the floor, empty and useless. Savage smirked darkly.

"You see Starro Tech does not reprogram the mind, it offers us remote control over it"

"Yeah!" Everyone turned to look upwards towards the ceiling where a scrawny teenager with dark pointy hair and wearing a black suit was sitting in mid-air with an orange cat draped over his shoulders as he perused red holographic images.

"We know exactly who's infected and who's not and NONE OF YOU ARE!"

Klarion sneered down at them all, dark eyes glinting wickedly as he flicked his hand at one of the screens. At once out of nowhere it seemed, Hal Jordan the Green Lantern flew up to them holding out his ring from which green energy burst forth, engulfing all three Leaguers.

"But that is easily rectified" Savage smirked smugly watching them all struggle before striding forwards to circle them, new Starro Tech chips in his hands.

"Fifty thousand years of life. And nothing ever troubled me as much as the founding of the Justice League. Dedicated to maintaining societies calcified status quo. The League would protect mankind from disaster, crime, tragedy of any kind. Have you never heard of the survival of the fittest? In short you… _heroes_ …sought to protect humanity from its own glorious evolution"

He spat disgustedly down on Black Canary as he watched her absorb the chip he'd just placed in her neck.

"As such you forced my more enlightened colleagues and myself to organise a response"

He now proceeded to place a chip into Red Tornado's metal neck.

"We created…a co-operative network of operatives. Placed key individuals in key positions-"

Red Arrow struggled but Savage grabbed him by the roots of his hair and stuck the chip on his skin, barely even pausing in his gloating.

"-Made sure we were on the cutting edge of all new technologies. Genetic Engineering, Bio-Chemical Engineering, Robotics, Nano-Robotics even Techno-Sorcery. Not to mention every conceivable method of mind control."

Savage walked away as Green Lantern removed his green energy from the newly infected heroes, looking out over the rim of the Earth.

"Cold hard science and a little misdirection, and now you champions of stagnation have become our agents of change, forcing the human race to evolve on a more advanced schedule allowing the Earth to take its rightful place at the centre of the Cosmos"

Black Canary, Red Tornado and Red Arrow all stood up, their faces blank as Savage looked over them his face triumphant.

Then there was a cry of annoyance.

"The brat's are aboard" Klarion whined watching a holographic screen, which had a multitude of icons that resembled people flicker in front of him, before some of the icons completely vanished "And they've taken away four of my toys!"

"Recall all League away missions" Savage's eyes narrowed as he growled "It's time to put these  _children_  in their place once and for all."

"FINALLY!" Klarion beamed excitedly just as his cat mewled beside him. He quickly put a hand up to scratch its head affectionately behind the ear.

"oh yeah…Hey Vandal, shouldn't those three be back online by now?!"

"What?!" Savage turned round to face the three said heroes just as Black Canary's eyes flashed.

Without warning she let loose a loud canary cry that sent Hal flying and crashing into a wall.

Red Tornado and Red Arrow acted at once, each sending their own attacks at Savage whilst Canary pressed something into Hal's neck that made him drop to the floor unconscious.

She then gave another harsh canary cry, this time aiming for Klarion who lazily summoned up a red pair of ear muffs with his powers, grinning madly.

"You'll be sorry" he hissed in an annoyingly sing song voice as the ground beneath their feet began to shake.

Canary looked up in alarm as a bright glowing light shimmered into existence above them, growing wider and wider till it was more than three metres in diameter.

_A boom tube?_

But before she could register anything else, six figures leapt out of the glowing portal, landing on their feet in front of her. Six people she knew all too well.

_Forgive me guys!_

She thought as she aimed another Canary cry at her allies, but she shuddered as Martian Manhunter density shifted straight through her. She was about to grab for him when.

_Crack!_

Hawkewoman swung her mace hitting her across the face.

As Black Canary fell to the ground, Red Arrow aimed at Martian Manhunter, who promptly density shifted so the projectile went right through him. But as it did so, the arrow head exploded in a small spark of flame.

The Martian gasped in shock and pain as he fell to the ground unconscious.

Red Arrow rolled to the side to avoid being hit by a black batarang and aimed a shot at the Dark Knight who deflected the arrows with his armoured gloves, before rushing at the young archer and pulling him down to knee him in his face.

As soon as he was down, The Green Lantern John Stuart caught Red Tornado in a claw made from the green energy in his ring, allowing Superman and Wonder Woman to tear off both arms and legs, before throwing him to the floor to join his comrades.

Savage glowered down at his attackers, fury bubbling up again from within.

"The children have clearly reverse engineered a Starro tech cure and vaccine, so there's no point in taking them alive"

"Goody" Klarion sneered excitedly. "And the little girl birdy?"

"As soon as you find her…bring her to me alive and unspoiled." Savage said, more towards the mind wiped heroes than anyone else "we still need her…for phase two"

* * *

_Oh no not again!_

Swift puffed as she pulled up short in mid-air in front of another dead end.

There was a swooshing noise as a blue suited, red caped figure floated up behind her.

She quickly turned and cracked a wind ribbon at Superman who quickly dodged before firing his heat vision from his eyes. Swift flew to the side and the Kryptonian followed her with his (literally) scorching gaze, the rays of heat carving a hole in the wall, before trailing after her.

Swift grunted as she collided into a corner of the ceiling before crying out as Superman grabbed her roughly by the arm and flinging her downwards so she fell through the floor, down to the level below.

She fell out into another corridor before someone grabbed her by the arm and caught her securely in a tight hold. She heard his rugged breaths, smelt the familiar musky scent, felt the hard clasp of armour beneath a suit…saw the black gloved hands make to cover her mouth.

She bit down on Batman's fingers hard as they slapped over her lips. With a small grunt of discomfort he jerked slightly away allowing her to fly upwards.

Swift hesitated as she took in the sight of her mentor, who glared up at her with such venom and darkness that she almost felt her eyes begin to water.

_I'm sorry Dad…_

She gulped down her anguish and gritted her teeth as she gripped the wind ribbons in each hand.

_But you leave me no choice!_

She cracked the ribbons down hard aiming for both his arms. He dodged rolling to the side and flinging two batarangs at her. She quickly caught them with the ribbons and sent them flying back at him just as he leapt up to aim an aerial punch.

She grabbed him by the arm and tried to use his momentum to swing him away from her but he anticipated her actions quickly and grabbed her shoulder, before flinging himself and her down to the ground.

They landed with several thuds as they skidded across the ground of a balcony overlooking the Watchtower's gardens.

Swift struggled as Batman tried to pin her down on the floor, grabbing her hands and holding them down beside her shoulders. She winced as her damaged wrist was once again crunched.

_"I won't release him. Not until I make him kill you, torture you, in every single most horrific, sadistic and vulgar way he knows you fear. And then when he's done I'll wake him up just long enough to see his good work and I being the merciful man I am, will end his suffering by snapping his neck just as he breaks"_

Swift's eyes flashed brightly as hot anger flared up inside her. Deftly she broke one of her hands free and reached into her utility belt.

_LIKE BLOODY HELL I'LL LET YOU, SAVAGE!_

_Fsssssssssst!_

Batman's grip slackened as he spluttered and choked as Swift delivered a decent spray of her aerosol deodorant into his face.

Of course his eyes were covered so his vision was not impaired, but it was sufficient enough distraction for her to deliver a solid punch to his square jaw.

The Dark Knight reeled off her, overwhelmed by the ferocity that had suddenly arisen in his protégé, as she proceeded to deliver the hardest, sharpest and fastest punches she could, trying to aim for all the weak points she knew were in his armor.

Eventually he recovered enough to fling her away, but instead of hitting the wall and crumpling like he'd intended she'd forced herself back to hover in the air and fly away. He growled in frustration and ran after her.

 _Rob where are you?_  Swift hissed across the mental link as she flew out of the way of a flying batarang being aimed at her from behind.

 _I'm outside next to the garden with Rocket_  Robin grunted

_Good. That means your close! Tagged anyone yet?_

Swift saw a bright light in front of her and smelt the fresh smells of grass and greenery.

_Just finishing up with Hawkewoman and Green Lantern. Why?_

_Because I'm bringing the party to you_

She wheeled around and aimed her palms at the ground beneath her, covering it in a layer of ice.

Batman who was still running behind her was forced to slow down his pace as his boots slid smoothly over the frozen surface.

Swift couldn't help the smirk that flashed over her face,

_Ha! Have fun with that Dad!_

She flew down off the edge of a balcony down to a lower level where she saw Robin and Rocket standing in front of Wonder Woman who was currently trying to bash her way against the latter's force field.

_Can she escape your force bubble?_

Swift asked as she came level with her teammates.

_Not if she keeps punching it!_

Rocket frowned as she held out her arms to keep up the force field as Robin dashed to an unconscious John Stuart.

_The kinetic energy only makes it stronger, but I'm stuck here! Anything I do risks freeing her!_

_LOOK OUT!_

Robin cried as the Batman's dark shadow leapt down upon them from the story above.

He aimed a punch at both his protégé's who flipped over him, before aiming a punch at Rocket who flew up into the air.

The Dark Knight turned on Swift and Robin who both straightened up, the latter flinging down a handful of smoke pellets.

All three of them charged inside, Batman managing to tag Swift on the jaw sending her flying out of the cloud and right into Rocket and Miss Martian who were both still trying to subdue Wonder Woman.

The bluish force bubble around the Amazon disappeared and with a loud warriors cry she lunged. Knocking Miss Martian into a pillar before aiming for the other two girls. Swift pushed Rocket out of the way before flying up and out of reach. Wonder Woman followed, eyes blazing as she un-looped her lasso from around her waist and spun it round.

"GHAH!" Swift cried out as she felt the familiar pain as bones splintered within her already injured wrist as she was spun around in a circle. She shut her eyes to stop herself from getting dizzy and even though it hurt a hell of a lot, she grabbed the lasso with her broken wrist for dear life.

Then she felt the wind changed around her as her body began to be pulled down fast. She opened her eyes in time to see Wonder Woman's face coming closer. She gritted her teeth.

_Here goes!_

_KATHWACK!_

The Amazon's head flew backwards as the Girl wonder's uppercut hit the underside of her jaw. Swift felt her fingers sting on her uninjured hand and grunted as she thrust it forwards to deliver a second strike which hit Wonder Woman in the gut, bringing her head and neck back towards her.

Quickly she slapped a hand on the back of the older woman's neck, the chip in it instantly sinking into her flawless flesh.

Her grip on the lasso lessened as did its hold on Swift's wrist.

"Now that really hurt!" The girl wonder pulled away, nursing her broken limb as Wonder Woman hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Swift! Miss M! Rocket!"

She looked up as Robin and Superboy jumped down from the level above, just as the other two girls came to.

"M'gann are you ok?" the super clone ran to his girlfriend to help her up.

"I…I'm fine" She smiled meekly.

"Nice hit" Rocket grinned at Swift who gave a small smile but winced as Robin took hold of her undamaged hand.

"Come on…let's get back to the others" he smiled as he began dragging her back towards the corridor, the others following at a small distance.

Five minutes later they arrived in the main hall where Artemis, Kid Flash and Aqualad were standing around the broken body of Red Tornado just as the voice of the Justice League computer systems announced.

**_Happy New Year: Justice League_ **

There was a tiny bing noise and little midi music began to play in the background they all looked up to see a large hologram above them. It read.

**January 1, 00:00 EST**

There were small scuffling of cloth as everyone paired off for their new years kiss; Superboy and Miss Martian, Kid Flash and Artemis, Rocket and Zatanna, who both had kissed Aqualad on both cheeks.

Swift barely had time to register what was going on when she felt a pair of hands grab her waist and a pair of lips crash against hers firmly.

Red Tornado, who was still on the floor, sighed bemusedly.

"Human customs still elude me"

Swift giggled into Robin's hold wrapping her good arm around his neck and pulling him in closer as his tongue slithered into her mouth to tangle with hers just as the sounds of many rushing footsteps reached them all.

They broke apart, turning with the rest of the team to see the entire League standing in one doorway, Batman at the front his eyes wide.

Swift and Robin both flushed red as their mentor straightened up and narrowed his eyes at all of them.

"Start talking"

* * *

Swift was down in the conference room in the Watchtower, one arm in a sling, the other supporting her head as she fought to keep herself awake on the table. It had been tough. She felt like she'd used up more energy in that one day then she had for the entire year. She barely heard what was going on with Red Arrow and the clone/mole business and only snorted up to attention when something bright flashed in front of her.

She stared blearily at the holo screens Robin had pulled up in front of her and Batman as he talked them through their next agenda. All three of them were showing identical pictures of Martian Manhunter, Hawkewoman, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and John Stuart.

"The entire league was under Savage's spell for just over a day. We've accounted for most of that time but these six went missing for a full sixteen hours we  _can't_  account for."

"Sixteen hours…" Batman rumbled eyes narrowing. "What did we do?"

_Thump!_

The dark knight turned sharply looking down on his protégé whose head had just landed on the table.

"Well…we certainly didn't sleep as soundly as this"

Aquaman chortled good naturedly along with Robin, Aqualad and Captain Marvel as Swift began snoring lightly.

Had this been under normal circumstances Batman would've probably glared them all down by now, but for once he was too exhausted to keep up his dark image. Instead he gently placed his hand on top of her head and stroked through the long chocolaty locks.

"How much energy did she use up?" he asked quietly.

"Nearly all of it I fear." Aqualad muttered frowning slightly.

"Yeah" Robin nodded gravely "Actually that is the second time she's done that today"

"Second time?" Batman's eyes widened, his fingers stilling in her hair.

"Yes. The first time was right after you and I handed her over to Vandal Savage" Red Tornado, who had been sitting silently beside Captain Marvel piped in, unperturbed by the sudden paleness of Batman's face. "During that time, she struggled with him and escaped on her own, before successfully eluding capture by Green Arrow, Flash, Hawkeman and Aquaman"

Aquaman shuddered and hung his head in shame as he felt the Bat's eyes boring into him angrily.

"From what data I've managed to salvage off the starro tech chips before I was cured," Red Tornado continued calmly "Savage was trying to capture Swift."

"Do you happen to know why he did that?" Robin asked quickly exchanging a worried look with Aqualad again.

"I am…unsure…" Tornado paused as if thinking "He obviously did not want to kill her. In fact he didn't want her to be put in harm's way at all. But unfortunately for him he underestimated Swift when she fought back, and the principle of the orders changed. Swift was still to be captured but this time he'd allow us to use force…just as long as she didn't die in the process"

There was a tiny grunt and Red Tornado stopped speaking as Swift's head lolled to the side.

"Wally…give me back my sandwich" she grumbled frowning grumpily before snoring loudly again, her mouth cracking slightly open.

But nobody laughed. Nobody dared move a muscle. They just continued watching Swift as she dreamed completely oblivious to their presences. Finally Batman sighed.

"This is bad…"

"Indeed." Aquaman's face softened slightly as he saw his colleague's worried face "The fact that our enemy was so intent on capturing one of our young ones is a great worry."

"Sorry Aquaman but I disagree, It's not the fact that she's young that makes this matter more serious" Tornado leant forwards in his seat "It's the fact that despite the fact her powers are underdeveloped our enemies still seem to know more about them than we do. And worse still…that they seem to be planning something to do with them"

"Not on my watch!" Robin stood up quickly glaring down all of them.

"Agreed" Aqualad rose up too. "Our enemies may plot and scheme but we'll be damned if we let them take one of our own"

Beneath the mask Batman's eyebrows rose high. He looked between the two teens who were both looking alert and ready for action.

He sighed, hiding his smirk of pride behind a hand as he stood up himself.

"We will adjourn this discussion for later. For now we all need to rest. You have done well. All of your team has"

* * *

**The Batcave, January 1 2011, 04:59 EST**

Christine sighed as she looked up at the ceiling of her four poster bed.

_This year is definitely not my year!_

She grimaced as she shifted her head, accidently moving her bandaged hand in the process, to look at the window to her room where a dark shadow was perched birdlike on the sill.

She smiled as she caught sight of her partner standing in the doorway in his pajamas illuminated in a ray of moonlight.

"Hey…"

"Hey yourself…are you ok?" he walked over to her bed and crawled over to her.

"I am…what happened?"

"You fell asleep in the meeting."

"At what point?"

"When we were talking about Roy"

"What happened to him?"

"He's being taken care of by Ollie and Dinah."

"And the real Roy?" Christine let herself sink into the pillow beneath her head.

Dick shook his head, his mouth in a thin line as he lay beside her and held her to him.

"Already the new year…" he muttered as he caught sight of her clock on her bedside table, over Christine's shoulder. "and already so much has changed…"

There was a pause as Christine gripped at his T-shirt with her good hand.

"Haven't you ever wondered…" She sighed into his hold as he leant down to press his forehead against hers. "…What it would be like if we both just…left?"

"Left what?"

"Everything. Gotham, the hero gig, the whole shebang. Just run away together and find a small town and be normal teenagers. Grow up, go to high school, college and be together."

"You have no idea of how many times I've actually considered doing that" Dick allowed himself a small smile.

"What stopped you?"

"I didn't think you'd agree to it. Plus it would really shatter Bruce and Alfred if we just did pack up and go"

"Yeah…the team too I guess…"

Dick breathed in deeply, enjoying the feel of her lavender scent wafting up his nose. "Y'know I think my parents eloped too,"

"Really?"

"Yeah…a few years before I was born. They never liked to talk about it in front of me but I think my mum's family didn't approve of my tati and his family"

"Those bitches" Christine muttered and Dick chortled..

"I know…" Dick pouted as he lay on top with his cheek resting against her chest. "Y'know, sometimes I wonder what would happen if my mama and tati knew about all the many stupid things I've done"

"Yeah you have done a lot of those haven't you?" Christine smirked "I mean you have done some pretty stupid things like almost drowning when you tried to hold your breath underwater longer than Wally. That chili eating contest in India. Trying to swing on poisonous vines like Tarzan in Poison Ivy's lair. Oh and let's not forget that especially stupid idea to antagonise a bull by using your primarily red costume whilst at that rodeo exhibit"

"Hey that was one time!" Dick looked up at her raising his eyebrows "And it was to save Bruce's ass if you don't remember"

"Of course I remember!" Christine pouted "I was on the bloody animals back"

"Oh yeah…How did you get up there in the first place?"

"I had back flipped onto it to escape something else"

"Pff!" Dick began snickering.

"What?"

"It's just that, I just thought. We're probably gonna turn into those kind of old people that keeps telling stories to all their kids and grandkids all day long till they're fed up of us"

"And tangents, don't forget the tangents, we'll barely be able to finish the stories because we'll be off on them" Christine giggled in agreement as Dick yawned wide, looking like a sleepy puppy.

"Ok! That's it, you're going back to sleep mister." she playfully scolded tapping him on the back of the head.

"OW! Alright, alright! Just one more thing" Dick yawned again but still forced himself to look down on her.

Christine's smile faltered as she took in his face. It was almost worried as if he were chewing over the words several times.

"Dick…what's wrong?"

He gulped "if I were to ask, hypothetically of course, but…what you would say if I said that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?"

Christine's eyes widened and she blushed so hard that she'd turned redder than the ripest tomato.

"I would…I would…" she spluttered feeling her heart race through her chest "I…would say …yes…I would…say yes!"

Dick's eyes widened.

"Really? You'd say yes?"

"No I was kidding, you're a perverted jackass and I don't want a bar of you! OF COURSE I SAID YES YOU DOOFUS!" She laughed promptly pouncing on top of him to kiss him full on the mouth.

"Whoa there tiger, hold your horses" Dick cackled into the kiss rolling her over so that she was on her back. He kissed her deeply, before pulling away, taking something out of his pocket.

"Christine Evelyn Hallows…" He smiled down at her holding out what Christine recognised to be her fake golden Lord of the Rings, ring. "…Will you take this…err…"

"Ring of Sauron?" She almost choked as she rolled around giggling madly.

"Yes! Yes! Will you take this Ring of Sauron" Dick rolled his eyes fondly "Christine…You're my best friend…my partner and I…I…I…"

"Dick?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"Just put the dark ring of power on my finger!"

"…ok"

Christine's face softened as Dick put the toy ring on her left finger.

"It's official"

"What is?" he quirked a brow.

"This is the best New Year's Day ever in my life" She smiled as Dick leaned down to kiss her.

She could barely believe it.

She had amazing friends, amazing family, she was the protégé to one of the world's greatest heroes, she'd just kicked bad guy butt and she'd just been promised with a toy ring on New Year's Day to a guy she loved with all her heart.

Life was perfect, and nothing could possibly go wrong.

Nothing.

...

...

The end

* * *

 


	30. REMASTERED EDITION!!

Hi guys.

This is a very important Authors Note.

As some of you will know I first published this fic several years ago in 2013.

So as I was beginning to write the sequel I also took time out to look back on the Original fic and only now that several years have passed have I noticed that the fic is super cheesy and quite frankly, I can't believe I ever wrote half of it. Looking back, the Mary-Sue OC/dick Grayson is such an overused and flawed trope in the Fandom (even I cringe sometimes whenever I read the scenes I wrote). And also there were so many plot holes regarding Red Queen, Ishan as well as Swift's superpowers (sheesh what was i thinking?). all those plotholes are what made it difficult deciding on a story for the sequel.

So I've decided reboot/remaster/re-write a new edition of the story with a slightly different plot, a (hopefully) Non-mary-sue OC (or rather the same OC but written better), and perhaps the biggest change of all, A DIFFERENT PAIRING!

That's right! No more Dick/CHRISTINE, at least not romantically. They probably will still be close to one another but they won't be in love. But Christine will be in love with someone else, it just won't be Dick. I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil it ;).

For those that liked this original (or as I like to call it in my fanfic writing folder  **the 2013 Mary Sue Edition**  :P), don't worry I'll probably keep it posted and will slowly continue to write the new sequel alongside the reboot.

Also, just food for thought, if she's not paired with Dick Grayson, who do you think Christine should be paired with? Put your answer in the reviews section. It could be a boy or a girl character (because why not?!), as long as it is a character from the YJ universe. I already know what I want to happen, but I'm interested to see what you guys also think.

Anyways to those of you reading this version, I hope you guys enjoyed and I hope you enjoy reading the 2018 reboot and the official sequel.

Cheers,

FuzzyBeta


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